What term is defined as a state of felt deprivation?

The term that describes a state of felt deprivation is "need." In the context of marketing and hospitality, needs refer to the essential requirements or conditions that are necessary for a person's well-being or survival. For example, basic needs include food, water, shelter, and safety. When an individual feels that these fundamental requirements are not being met, they experience a deprivation that can motivate them to seek solutions.

On the other hand, desire, want, and preference are related concepts but do not capture the same sense of essential lack. Desire refers to a strong feeling of wanting or wishing for something, which may or may not be necessary for survival. Want specifies a more particular manifestation of desire, often shaped by cultural and personal factors, while preference indicates a choice between options that are already deemed acceptable based on prior evaluation. In summary, a "need" represents the most basic level of deprivation that drives individuals to take action to fulfill that lack.