Which statement best distinguishes a want from a need?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks: Which statement best distinguishes a want from a need?

Option analysis is limited here because the provided data only includes one answer choice and no additional options to compare against. Nevertheless, we can still examine the given statement.

Option: 'A need is universal (e.g., food); a want is the specific form (e.g., sushi).'
- This statement aligns with a common distinction in consumer behavior and psychology: needs refer to basic, essential requirements that are typically universal across humans (such as food, water, shelter, safety), whereas wants refer to the particular form or expression of those needs (the specific items or experiences we desire to satisfy them, like sushi instead of a generic meal).
- The idea is that needs are about necessity and basic sufficiency for survival or well-being, while wants are about preference, variation, or customization within the realm of those needs.

Why this explanation is reasonable and useful:
- It captures the universal nature of needs across individuals, contrasted with the individuated nature of wants.
- It explains why different people may satisfy the same need in different ways (one person choosing sushi, another choosing pasta), highlighting form versus essence in the distinction.

What would make this option less convincing or could indicate a flaw:
- If the question intended to emphasize cultural, situational, or economic constraints altering which forms of a need become preferred, the statement might oversimplify by not mentioning access, priorities, or abundance. In that case, wants could sometimes be constrained or absent when resources are limited.
- If other options were present, they might blur the line by suggesting that wants can ever be universal or that needs can be entirely specific without universal elements. Without those competing choices, we can’t compare nuance.

In summary, given the single option provided, the statement accurately captures the core distinction: needs are universal necessities, while wants are the specific forms those needs take in individual desires.

Principles of Marketing Quiz 1.2 - The Marketing Concept - Summer 2025

Which statement best distinguishes a want from a need?

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

Which of the following products is not considered a ‘need’?

Look at the image and decide if it represents a need (something necessary for survival) or a want (something humans desire to improve our standard of living)

Look at the image and decide if it represents a need (something necessary for survival) or a want (something humans desire to improve our standard of living)

Look at the image and decide if it represents a need (something necessary for survival) or a want (something humans desire to improve our standard of living)

Look at the image and decide if it represents a need (something necessary for survival) or a want (something humans desire to improve our standard of living)

Look at the image and decide if it represents a need (something necessary for survival) or a want (something humans desire to improve our standard of living)

Look at the image and decide if it represents a need (something necessary for survival) or a want (something humans desire to improve our standard of living)

In a consumer society, many adults channel creativity into buying things

More Practical Tools for Students Powered by AI Study Helper

Homework AI Solver

Stylized AI Paper Writer

Plagiarism Checker Assistant

Citation AI Academic Writing Tool

In-Class Translation Assistant

AI Note Generator

AI Quiz Answers

Past Exam Questions from University Test Bank

Smart Practice Assistant

Adaptive Practice

Making Your Study Simpler