A need is something that you must have in order to function well in your life. This term is often used in contrast with “want,” which refers to things that are not essential. Psychologists distinguish between physiological and psychological needs. Physiological needs are basic requirements for life, such as food, water and shelter. Psychological needs are higher, such as a sense of belonging and self-actualization.
A person’s needs are different for everyone. You can find out what your personal needs are by doing a needs assessment. You can also do this in a group, such as with your family. To identify your needs, think about the experiences that made you feel successful and unsuccessful in your life. Make a list of those experiences. Then, narrow down the list to only include experiences that are relevant to your life right now.
You may be able to satisfy some of your needs, while other needs may be more difficult to fulfill. This is why you must learn to differentiate between your needs and wants. For example, you may need food to survive, while you might want a delicious cheese burst pizza. You can also distinguish your needs from your wants when planning a budget. For instance, you need to spend money on necessities, such as rent and food, but you might not need a designer wardrobe.
Using the word “need” as a verb can confuse people because it is similar to the phrase “need to.” However, the difference between need and need to is that “to” is an infinitive, while “need” is a noun. The distinction between these two words can be confusing for many people, but it is important to know the difference in order to distinguish your needs from your wants.
The most widely known academic model of needs is Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This theory states that people have a series of psychological needs, starting with the lowest level, such as physical hunger and thirst, and moving upward to emotional connection. People spend most of their energy trying to meet these lower level needs before they can move on to satisfying the higher-level desires for belonging and self-actualization.
A more recent approach to the concept of need is Gough and Doyal’s Self-Determination Theory. This approach is more focused on human rights and argues that every person has an objective interest in having their basic needs satisfied, but they must take responsibility for the satisfaction of these needs. This approach emphasizes the importance of rational identification of needs, consideration of actual experiences in everyday life, and democratic decision-making.