J.D. Pincus proposes a significant revision to Forbes’ taxonomic model of human motivation by introducing a new, fourth life domain: the spiritual. It explores extensive literature on spiritual motives and suggests that the spiritual domain, which includes justice, moral, and transcendental motivations, is an essential part of human life not covered by Forbes’ original three domains. The study contrasts Forbes’ model with thirteen other theoretical frameworks that also incorporate spirituality, arguing for the importance of recognizing spiritual needs—such as fairness, morality, and altruism—as a distinct domain. The revised model links the spiritual domain with the Intrapsychic and Interpersonal domains, forming a pyramid structure and presenting new opportunities for research and hypothesis testing. This addition provides a more comprehensive understanding of human motivation, especially regarding universal needs that have led to spiritual systems across cultures.
Theoretical and Empirical Foundations for a Unified Pyramid of Human Motivation
