Energy-Expectation Theory: A Unified Model of Human Motivation Based on Energy Flow

This paper presents a unified theory that reinterprets human behavior, emotion, and motivational structure from the perspective of energy flow and the expectation system. Beginning with the question of what it means to exist, the theory connects the structures of life, self, emotion, expectation, reward, and immersion through the frameworks of thermodynamics and evolutionary psychology. The self’s response to stimuli is understood as a cycle of emotion–expectation–reward, described as a decision-making system aimed at maximizing energy efficiency. The theory further expands to explain distorted threat perception, failure of expectations, and the mechanism of guarantee-threat regulation, aiming to identify the origins of inefficient behavior and psychological distress. While drawing from existing psychological theories, this theory distinguishes itself by defining emotion and expectation as core elements of energy distribution strategies, offering an original integrative framework.