Family Economics And Consumer Education 3 (2+1)

Lesson 02 : Human Wants

Factors Influencing Wants

Human wants originate by several factors. Following factors influence human wants.

1. Biological needs:

Biological needs of human beings are basic wants. They are called necessaries of life. These basic wants relate to food, clothing and shelter. They need to be satisfied from biological point of view.

2. Social environment:

Many of our wants are influenced by society in which we live. Prevailing standards of society result in particular type of wants relating to the type of food we eat, the style of clothes we wear, the form of houses we build etc.

3. Education:

Wants are related to man’s level of education; children studying in schools need less of writing or reading materials as compared to those studying in high schools or colleges. With education an individual standard of living, mode of life and ideas change and his wants go on increasing.

4. Snob appeal:

A sense of ego and false sense of status result in increasing wants of some people. Examples of expensive jewelries, ornaments etc have snob appeal leading to more wants.

5. Habits:

People get habituated to use certain articles which they do not give up like cigarettes, pan etc. These become recurring wants.

6. Income:

Wants are influenced by income. Wants of high income people are more compared to those of poor people.

7. Fashions:

Changing fashions in modern times increase the number of wants. They relate to dress style etc.

8. Occupation:

Different people need or want different type of goods relating to their occupation i.e. farmers, doctors’ teachers etc. they need different equipments and facilities and their wants increase in their profession.

9. Climate:

Climatic conditions compel people to go in for articles to suit the climate like woolen wear during winter.

10. Tastes:

Individuals have taste for particular consumer articles such tastes influence wants individuals. Taste for eatables tea or coffee etc.

11. Inventions and Innovations:

Scientific inventions may lead to their commercial applications. These in turn create new wants for people. Innovation lead to creation of different type of products resulting new products and wants for them.

12. Advertising and Propaganda:

Commercial establishments advertise their products creating demand for them resulting in new wants of people