A need is the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a goal and the reason for the action, giving purpose and direction to behavior.

The most widely known academic model of needs was proposed by Abraham Maslow. In it, he proposed that people have a hierarchy of needs, which range from security to self actualization. However, while this model is intuitively appealing, it has been difficult to operationalize it experimentally. It was further developed by Clayton Alderfer. Maslows Hierarchy of Human Needs is a theory in psychology that Abraham Maslow proposed in his 1943 paper A Theory of Human Motivation, which he subsequently extended to include his observations of mans innate curiosity. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Clayton Paul Alderfer is an American psychologist who further expanded Maslows hierarchy of needs by categorizing the hierarchy into his ERG theory (Existence, Relatedness and Growth). ...

The academic study of needs was at its zenith in the 1950's, but receives scant attention today. One exception is Richard Sennett's work on the importance of respect. The concept of intellectual need has been studied in education. Richard Sennett (born Chicago, 1 January 1943) is the Centennial Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and Professor of the Humanities at New York University. ... This page is about the attitude of acknowledgement, for other uses please see, Respect (disambiguation). ... Intellectual need is a specific form of intrinsic motivation; it is a desire to learn something. ...

Marshall Rosenberg's model of Compassionate Communication also known as Nonviolent Communication (NVC)^[1] makes the distinction between universal human needs (what sustains and motivates human life) and specific strategies used to meet these needs. In contrast to Maslow, Rosenberg's model does not place needs in a hierarchy.^[2] In this model, feelings are seen as indicators of when human needs are met or unmet. One of the intended outcomes of Rosenberg's model is to support humans in developing an awareness of what life-sustaining needs are arising within them and others moment by moment so that they may more effectively and compassionately find strategies to meet their own needs as well as contribute to meeting the needs of others. Dr. Marshall B. Rosenberg, born in 1934, is the creator of a method of communication called Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and director of educational services for the Center for Nonviolent Communication, an international non-profit organization. ... Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is a process developed by Marshall Rosenberg that seeks to allow people to communicate with others effectively and with compassion. ...

People also talk about the needs of a community or organization. Such needs might include demand for a particular type of business, for a certain government program or entity, or for individuals with particular skills.

References

1. ^ http://www.cnvc.org
2. ^ http://www.cnvc.org/needs.htm

See also

Look up need in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Maslow's hierarchy of needs