The 23plusone method

[written by ai] The 23plusone method is a motivational model designed to help individuals and groups uncover what truly drives them by focusing on human values and motivations. Developed by experts in psychology, it distills human motivations into 24 universal values (including "23 plus one") that are easy to understand and apply in various contexts. These values include concepts like freedom, security, curiosity, and connectedness. The 23plusone method is more than a practical tool—it is a scientifically grounded approach to understanding human motivation. By integrating theories of universal human values,

Who Is It For?

The 23plusone method is particularly suited for individuals, teams, and organisations seeking a deeper understanding of their motivations to improve collaboration, engagement, and decision-making. It is widely used by:

  • Businesses: For team building, branding, and aligning company culture with employees' values.
  • Marketing and Advertising Professionals: To connect with audiences on an emotional level.
  • Coaches and Consultants: To aid clients in personal development or leadership strategies.
  • Individuals: To discover personal motivators for career and life decisions.

How It Works

Participants engage in an interactive process where they reflect on and prioritise the values that resonate most with them. This creates a "motivational fingerprint," a personalised profile of what drives them. The method often employs visual and hands-on tools, such as card sorting, to make the experience engaging and intuitive.

Benefits Over Other Models

The 23plusone method stands out from other motivational models or personality frameworks due to its simplicity, versatility, and actionable insights:

  1. Human-Centric and Positive Focus: Unlike models that emphasise deficiencies or weaknesses, 23plusone highlights what inspires and energises people. This positive focus fosters engagement and self-awareness.
  2. Universality: Its foundation on universal values ensures that it applies across cultures, demographics, and professional sectors.
  3. Ease of Use: The method is accessible without requiring advanced psychological training, making it easy for teams and individuals to adopt.
  4. Customisation: Each person or group creates a unique motivational fingerprint, avoiding generic or one-size-fits-all categorizations seen in some other models.
  5. Collaboration-Oriented: By identifying shared values, it encourages stronger relationships and collaboration within teams or between organisations and their clients.
  6. Visual and Practical Approach: The use of interactive, tangible tools helps participants engage deeply, unlike models that are limited to abstract or theoretical analysis.

In summary, the 23plusone method is a flexible and inclusive tool for tapping into what motivates people, making it an effective alternative to more rigid or deficit-based models.

Scientific basis


The **23plusone model** is grounded in scientific research and draws heavily from the fields of **psychology, neuroscience, and behavioural science**. Its scientific foundation ensures that the model is not only intuitive but also reliable and evidence-based.


1. Human Values Theory
   The model builds upon well-established psychological theories, particularly those concerning **universal human values**.  
   - It draws inspiration from **Schwartz’s Theory of Basic Human Values**, which identifies a set of universal values that are recognised across cultures. The 23plusone method simplifies and adapts these values into a more practical framework for day-to-day application.
   - It also integrates insights from **positive psychology**, a branch of psychology that focuses on human strengths, well-being, and flourishing rather than pathologies.

2. **Motivation Science**  
   - The model incorporates findings from **self-determination theory (SDT)**, which highlights intrinsic motivations (e.g., autonomy, competence, and relatedness) as key drivers of human behaviour.
   - Research on **neurobiology and reward systems** supports the idea that people are motivated by values that resonate with their emotional and cognitive experiences, such as a sense of security or a desire for curiosity.

3. **Neuroscience of Decision-Making**  
   The brain’s decision-making processes are influenced by emotional and motivational systems. The 23plusone model taps into these systems by:
   - Helping individuals recognise **emotional triggers** tied to their personal values.
   - Leveraging the brain's natural preference for **visual and associative learning** through interactive tools, which stimulate deeper reflection and engagement.

4. **Universal Appeal of Motivations**  
   The 23 values and one overarching concept (the "plusone") were derived through extensive research to ensure that they resonate universally across cultures and contexts. These motivations are:
   - Broad enough to encompass different worldviews and experiences.
   - Specific enough to allow individuals and groups to identify what uniquely drives them.

Empirical Validation

The developers of 23plusone conducted numerous field tests and studies to validate the framework’s applicability across different demographics and environments. Key outcomes include:
- Evidence that the method enhances **self-awareness** and team collaboration.
- Studies showing improved engagement and emotional resonance in branding and marketing efforts when organisations align their messaging with core motivational values.
- Positive feedback from diverse user groups, supporting its cross-cultural reliability.

Why This Scientific Foundation Matters
The scientific backing of the 23plusone model provides:
- **Credibility**: It aligns with respected theories in psychology and neuroscience.
- **Reliability**: Its universality is validated through empirical studies and practical application.
- **Relevance**: By incorporating well-established principles of human motivation, the model remains flexible and adaptive in diverse settings.