In the early days, philosophers, psychologists, and experts sought to present a general theory of motivation, a model that would explain everything.

Freud was not specifically interested in motivation. But with the founding principle of drive, he proposed "an interpretation of human behavior stamped with the stamp of the unconscious"[1]

Abraham Maslow also proposes a general theory in his pyramidal representation of the hierarchy of needs.

For Maslow, there was much criticism, not only of his theory but also of his analysis method.

To carry out his study, he sent a questionnaire to a series of people who matched his idea of "self-actualization", including Albert Einstein.

He examined the biographies and writings of 18 people he identified as self-actualized. From these sources, he drew up a list of qualities that seemed characteristic of this specific group of people, as opposed to humanity in general. (translation)[2]

And yet, even if its conception is debatable, the pyramid does seem to respond to a reality.

Criticism has been leveled at the cultural limits of its model, which is failing on other continents. However, the main criticism concerns the hierarchical aspect of needs.

Indeed, a binding hierarchy does not hold water for long. How can we consider this prioritization when faced with acts of heroism or maternal love?

Despite these criticisms, the pyramid of needs remains a reference, and I use it to introduce complex subjects. It is also the basis for categorizing work motivation factors (previous chapter).

However, global theories have difficulty explaining the inexhaustible number of specific cases and exceptions on motivation.

This is where "mini-theories" come in, with theories focusing on particular contexts, phenomena, and circumstances.

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[1] La théorie psychanalytique - Fabien Fenouillet

https://www.lesmotivations.net/spip.php?article39

[2] https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html