A need is a requirement or desire that motivates behavior. It is an essential concept in the fields of philosophy, biology, psychology and social science. The academic model of human needs, developed by psychologist Abraham Maslow in 1943, identifies different levels of psychological needs from basic physiological (deficiency) needs such as food, water and shelter through to higher order needs like belonging, self-esteem and self-actualization. Maslow’s theory has been widely adopted and is used as an approach to understanding human motivation in a variety of contexts.
Need can be a noun or verb. It can refer to a personal need or the need of a society or organisation. The word need can be differentiated from want by the fact that a lack of a need causes harm; for example, one might not get enough sleep or might not have a safe place to stay. It can also be distinguished from the feeling of wanting something, which is usually a feeling of dissatisfaction rather than an imperative demand.
The meaning of the term need is contested and has many interpretations. It is a topic of interest in the fields of philosophy, ethics and psychology. The concept of need is a key element in debates about moral economics.
In the context of social work and welfare, a need is often considered as an individual’s basic right to protection and security. In some societies, this is referred to as an objective human need. In other contexts, this is interpreted as a fundamental component of a person’s self-determination, which may be defined by a sense of autonomy and independence.
In linguistics, the words need and necessity are often confused. Both imply a lack that must be filled; however, need is more effective in motivating emotional appeals than necessity, which tends to be perceived as more impersonal and formal.
When writing an article, it is important to use the correct form of need in each instance. The use of articles with singular countable nouns is important – a, an and some are needed to make the noun plural. However, the use of articles with uncountable nouns can be confusing – for example, some nouns have both an and an as well as a and an, and some have irregular plural forms. In these cases, a usage guide is recommended for clarity.
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