Which need focuses on our physical survival and includes essentials like food and water?

The need that focuses on our physical survival and includes essentials like food and water is physiological needs. This category represents the most basic requirements for human existence, encompassing necessities that must be met for an individual to live and thrive. Physiological needs include not only food and water but also shelter, clothing, and sleep, which are fundamental for maintaining health and well-being.

Understanding this concept is crucial as it forms the foundation of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which posits that individuals must first satisfy these basic needs before they can focus on higher-level psychological and self-fulfillment needs. Other categories, such as safety needs, self-esteem needs, and self-actualization needs, become relevant only after physiological needs have been adequately addressed. For instance, safety needs relate to security and protection from harm, but if physiological needs aren't met, concerns about safety are secondary.