Projection of Visceral Needs

People’s immediate needs influence how they perceive other’s needs – people project their needs onto others. Two studies sought to replicate and extend previous research by identifying moderators of need projection: need satisfaction and a global sense of similarity. Projection increased when a strong need to quench one’s thirst was induced and not satisfied (Study 1). Projection of the need to quench one’s thirst increased when existing thirst and the global sense of similarity with the target person were high, but again only when the need was not satisfied (Study 2). Visceral needs influence judgments about other people’s needs when the individual is experiencing the need in a given moment; lingering effects are not observed once that need is satisfied.