What Is Need?

In British and American English, need is used to express a need. It is common in phrases such as “I need to see my doctor,” “I need to get some rest,” and “I need to know more.” But when does need become a verb? It behaves as an auxiliary verb. It agrees with the subject and takes to before the verb following it. In some constructions, need also combines with do, but in others, it does not.

The scientific study of need arose during the 1950s, but receives less attention today. Richard Sennett, for example, studied the importance of respect. Psychologists have argued that the psychological theories that define needs are often not compatible with different cultures or parts of the same society. However, some theories, such as the Doyal-Gough Theory, stress that the satisfaction of an individual’s needs is a fundamental feature of human life and may prevent the person from fulfilling their potential.

A need is a dissatisfaction with a certain situation or condition. A deficiency of a need has an obvious adverse effect on a person or society. It can lead to dysfunction or death. In other words, a need is needed for a safe and stable life, whereas a want is a desire. It is important to distinguish between a need and a want. Remember that a need is essential for survival, whereas a want is a selfish desire.

The Maslow hierarchy of needs has been widely adopted in social work and health care. In some cases, an individual may fixate on a particular need because of traumatic circumstances in their life. This can affect their future happiness. For instance, an individual might obsess about food despite having everything else in life. That doesn’t mean that they don’t have a need, it just means they aren’t meeting it. However, they are still salient.

The difference between a want and a need is based on the COA and EFC a student provides on his FAFSA. This is the difference between the student’s gross need and the student’s EFC. When these two numbers are combined, the result is their total need. After a student receives the aid, their needs still remain unmet. Any need not met is considered an unmet need. This can cause health problems and even death.

Gough and Doyal identify eleven basic needs of human beings. These needs include physical health, mental health, cognitive skills, and opportunities for participation in society. When a person does not meet one of these needs, they will suffer from illness and eventually die. Then there are the psychological needs that they need to meet. For example, food is an important need, as are clothing and housing. The lack of either one can lead to depression. However, in many cases, these factors cannot be satisfied without other things in life.