What is a Need?

A need is a definite requirement that must be fulfilled. In English, the word can be used in different contexts: as a noun (something that is useful, required or desired that is not present), an adjective (not having enough), a verb (to have need of), and a preposition (needing). The use of need is common in many languages, including English.

Generally speaking, there are two types of needs: those that are necessary for survival and those that are desired. The distinction is important because it allows us to differentiate between something that is essential and something that can be lived without. Examples of necessary needs include food, shelter, and clothing. Desirable needs, on the other hand, may include a new television set or a vacation. Often, people will focus on meeting their basic needs before adding to their wants list.

While most scholars and philosophers agree on the definition of need, there is some disagreement over whether a need is a fundamental human motivation or if it is derived from other, more specific motivations. For example, Freud asserted that the only necessary and fundamental motives are sex and aggression, and that all other motivations are derived from those. However, recent research suggests that the need to belong may also be a fundamental motivation.

The need to belong is a desire or urge that is felt by all humans. It is thought to have evolved over time as a result of human evolution and the creation of society. The need to belong is not unique to human beings; it has been observed in many other social animals as well.

In the case of humans, it is believed that a need to belong was modified during the evolutionary process to allow for culture and social interactions that are different from those experienced by other mammals. For example, human beings spend much more time with their peers than do other mammals. This may create a need to belong that is not found in other social mammals.

In addition to the need for belonging, humans also possess a desire to succeed. While some of this desire is rooted in the need to survive, other parts of it may be attributed to the need for status or prestige. Despite these desires, most experts believe that these needs are not innate in human beings and that they must be learned through experience. In addition, many of these needs may be influenced by the environment in which they are cultivated.