Sheldon, Elliot, and Kasser examined 10 candidate psychological needs to determine which are most fundamental for humans. Participants described "most satisfying events" and rated the salience of each need within these events. Autonomy, competence, and relatedness consistently ranked among the top four needs in terms of salience and association with positive affect. Self-esteem was also important, while self-actualization, physical thriving, popularity, and money-luxury were less important. These findings were consistent across three studies, including a final study that asked, "What's unsatisfying about unsatisfying events?" The results support self-determination theory, which posits that autonomy, competence, and relatedness are essential for well-being. The study also highlights the importance of self-esteem and challenges the significance of materialistic goals like money and popularity. The findings suggest that while some needs are universal, their relative importance may vary across cultures and contexts. The study underscores the need for further research to understand how these needs interact and influence well-being across different populations.Sheldon, Elliot, and Kasser examined 10 candidate psychological needs to determine which are most fundamental for humans. Participants described "most satisfying events" and rated the salience of each need within these events. Autonomy, competence, and relatedness consistently ranked among the top four needs in terms of salience and association with positive affect. Self-esteem was also important, while self-actualization, physical thriving, popularity, and money-luxury were less important. These findings were consistent across three studies, including a final study that asked, "What's unsatisfying about unsatisfying events?" The results support self-determination theory, which posits that autonomy, competence, and relatedness are essential for well-being. The study also highlights the importance of self-esteem and challenges the significance of materialistic goals like money and popularity. The findings suggest that while some needs are universal, their relative importance may vary across cultures and contexts. The study underscores the need for further research to understand how these needs interact and influence well-being across different populations.