What does the term "survival" refer to in the context of biological needs?

The term "survival" in the context of biological needs refers to basic life-sustaining resources. This encompasses the essential elements required for maintaining life, such as food, water, shelter, and health. These resources are foundational, as they help to ensure that an individual's physiological needs are met before they can pursue higher-level needs like safety, belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.

While achievement of personal milestones, fulfillment of psychological requirements, and development of social relationships are important for overall well-being and personal growth, they fall into higher tiers of needs that are only relevant after basic biological requirements are satisfied. Without the fulfillment of these basic needs, survival itself is jeopardized, as individuals cannot meaningfully engage in other aspects of life. Therefore, the concept of survival centers directly on the necessity for these fundamental resources to support life.