a focus of excitation that temporarily dominates in the central nervous system, giving mental processes and behavior a certain direction and activity in the sphere determined by current needs. The principle of dominance is that at each moment a living being is busy solving a certain problem. This activity temporarily dominates, and for a certain period of time any external influences will either “work” for the set goal (increase the excitement in the focus) or be ignored (this is the inhibitory effect of the dominant). After some time, this type of activity may exhaust itself or be displaced by another, and then this new task contributes to a different organization of the organism’s activity. Dominants can be lower, corresponding to the lower levels of the hierarchy of needs, and higher. Dominants can be lower, corresponding to the lower steps of the hierarchy of needs, and higher, arising in the cerebral cortex.