English Dictionary

Institutionally based, restrictive relationships, such as those

among family members or professional colleagues, must thus

be contrasted with instrumentally based, nonrestrictive rela-

tionships serving the aims of practical pursuits, such as those

between freely practicing experts and their clients or between

sellers and buyers. In instrumentally structured situations it is

not necessary for the participants to curb their needs, because

the mere expression of needs in no way compels others to

gratify them, as it tends to do in the family.¹⁹ Indeed, not

only is the frank expression of needs not inhibited, but it is

often encouraged, since it helps to identify a problem or need

Institutionally based, restrictive relationships, such as those among family members or professional colleagues, must thus be contrasted with instrumentally based, nonrestrictive rela- tionships serving the aims of practical pursuits, such as those between freely practicing experts and their clients or between sellers and buyers. In instrumentally structured situations it is not necessary for the participants to curb their needs, because the mere expression of needs in no way compels others to gratify them, as it tends to do in the family.¹⁹ Indeed, not only is the frank expression of needs not inhibited, but it is often encouraged, since it helps to identify a problem or need for which someone might have a solution or satisfaction.