Meaning and Psychological Needs

Acknowledging that the human search for and experience of meaning are fundamental existential concerns that correspond with the need for meaning, this article argues that meaning is a basic psychological need (on par with, e.g., autonomy, relatedness, and competence). It explores the cognitive, emotive, and conative components of meaning and discusses how meaning can be considered a need, which can be evaluated against established criteria for attributing the status of being basic to needs. The article further argues that a distinction between meaning with a capital M and meaning with a small m can help maintain the distinction between meaning as a basic need (M) and meaning as experiential phenomenology (m). Finally, the article shows how the need for meaning (M) is integrated into the meaning, autonomy, relatedness, competence model, a dynamic model of basic psychological needs for meaning, autonomy, relatedness, and competence in human existence. The practical applications of the meaning, autonomy, relatedness, and competence model in conversations about experiences of meaning and need realization in various life settings are briefly touched upon.