Intermediate Needs

Abstract

In Chapter 8 we introduced the notion of ‘universal satisfier characteristics’: those ‘inputs’ which, according to the best available knowledge, contribute positively to the ‘output’ of individual health and autonomy in all cultures. We identified eleven such characteristics, which we called ‘intermediate needs’. In this chapter, we shall elaborate on each of these, trying to do two things. First, its inclusion will be justified by referring to the scientific evidence linking particular universal satisfier characteristics to either physical health or autonomy as they have been operationalised in the preceeding chapter. Often there is no sharp dividing line between the two: a ‘physical health satisfier’ like nutrition will also affect cognitive and emotional development if seriously deficient, while an ‘autonomy satisfier’ like childhood security will also affect physical health if seriously deficient. Second, we shall specify cross-cultural indicators for each intermediate need or, where these are unsatisfactory or unavailable, propose alternatives.