A need is an essential requirement for a person or group to function effectively in a particular social context. Needs are not necessarily the same for every individual and may vary depending on circumstances. The concept of need is central to some academic theories of human motivation, including the work of Abraham Maslow and Doyal and Gough. The academic study of needs reaches its zenith in the 1950s and has since become less prominent among psychologists.
There are several different types of need, but all can be categorized as either primary or secondary. Primary needs are those that are essential for survival, such as food and shelter. Secondary needs are those that come after a person has met their basic requirements. Examples of secondary needs include having furniture in a house and having a closet to store clothing. Tertiary needs are those that are less essential and can be considered wants. Examples of tertiary needs are sports cars and expensive vacations.
Some psychologists argue that people have certain psychological needs that must be satisfied in order for them to function well within society. The best-known model of this is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which describes a series of needs that people have in varying degrees, from those that are the most fundamental through to self-actualization. It is thought that people spend most of their time and resources trying to meet the lower levels of this hierarchy, such as meeting physiological needs like food, water and safety, before moving on to more psychological needs, such as belonging and self-esteem.
Another type of need is the need for health care services. In the United States, this is addressed by the Certificate of Need (CON) process, which governs the establishment, construction, renovation and major medical equipment acquisitions of health care facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes and home care agencies. The CON process is designed to promote the delivery of high quality health care and limit investment in duplicate beds, services and medical equipment that increase associated costs for health insurance companies.
The academic theory of need, as presented by Doyal and Gough, is a theory that combines elements of the psychological theory of need with the capability approach developed by Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum. This theory emphasizes rational identification of needs, consideration of actual experiences in a person’s everyday life, and democratic decision-making about the satisfaction of those needs.
Knowing when to use the article a or an is crucial for English learners. The article a should only be used before a noun that both the writer and the reader/listener know is specific. For example, Will you be attending the meeting this afternoon? The answer is the, which indicates that the meeting is a specific one that both parties are familiar with. The article an is also only used before a noun that both the speaker and the listener are familiar with. For example, Do you remember the trip to Alappuzha that we took last year?