Spiral Dynamics

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Illustration of the "spiral of development"

Spiral Dynamics is a registered trademark of the National Values ​​Center, Inc. Under this name the Spiral Dynamics Group, Inc markets a theory about the development of human worldview levels (the general " attitude to life "). The concept of this theory was developed by Don Beck and Chris Cowan on the basis of the theories of Clare W. Graves and presented in 1996 in the book of the same name (German edition 2007). It was originally conceived for an audience of managers , but found other followers because of the concise description of people's culture and psyche. The most successful marketing opportunities were found in politics.

context

With reference to empirical observations of developmental psychology, Spiral Dynamics claims that people (can) go through different levels of consciousness in the course of their individual life as well as in the course of human history, i.e. different forms of feeling and thinking (world views).

Under the most urgent circumstances, people are able to use new conceptual models to shape their environment in such a way that (all) new problems can be overcome. Conversely, the changing natural and social environment influences these “models”, which exist in people's minds as a general attitude to life or a fundamental worldview (see examples below ). Following the idea of Spiral Dynamics , each of these new models includes all previous models.

According to Beck and Cowan, these conceptual models are organized in so-called “ value memes ”, abbreviated to vMeme. The cultural counterpart to the biological gene is called a meme - it describes a certain content of consciousness (e.g. a thought or a complete view of the world here) that is passed on through communication and thus multiplies.

Theory presentation

The theory of Spiral Dynamics contains many parallels to the general understanding theory of Maslow . According to Maslow's understanding, people always try to meet the needs of lower levels first, then those of higher levels. In the theory of Spiral Dynamics , the level of need satisfaction is divided into colors and called meme levels :

  • Beige : archaic , instinctive , determined to survive, automatic, reflexological
    • Since the middle Paleolithic (100,000 BC)
    • Level of basic survival; Food, water, warmth, sex and safety come first. Habits and instincts are used for sheer survival. There is hardly anything like a distinguishable I that has awakened, and there are hardly any efforts to preserve one.
  • Purple : animistic , tribalistic , magical- animistic
    • since the middle Paleolithic (50,000 BC)
    • Sacrifice to the ancestors and strict observance of the customs subordinate the individual to the group. Magical spirits, good and bad, haunt the earth and leave behind blessings, curses and enchantments that determine what happens. Ethnic tribes are formed. The spirits exist in the ancestors and hold the tribe together. Consanguinity and family establish political ties.
  • Red : egocentric, exploitative gods of violence
    • since 7000 BC Chr.
    • First appearance of an ego differing from the trunk; powerful, impulsive, self-centered, heroic. Magical-mythical spirits, dragons, wild beasts and powerful people. Archetypal gods and goddesses, power beings, forces that have to be dealt with, good as well as bad.
  • Blue : absolutist , obedient , mythical , orderly, determined, authoritarian
    • since 3000 BC Chr.
    • Life has meaning, direction and purpose, with the outcome being determined by an almighty Other or an almighty order. This just order enforces a code of conduct based on absolute and unchangeable principles of “right” and “wrong”. A violation of this code or these rules has serious and perhaps "eternal" repercussions. Following the code brings reward to the believer.
  • Orange : diverse, efficient, scientific , strategic
    • since 1700 (already before 600 AD according to Graves and Calhoun)
    • Hypothetical-deductive, experimental, objective, mechanistic, operational - that is, "scientific" in the typical sense. The world is a rational, well-oiled machine with natural laws that one can recognize, master and use for one's own purposes. Strongly performance-oriented, especially towards material gain. The laws of science rule politics, economics and human society.
  • Green : relativistic , personalistic , communitarian , egalitarian
    • since 1850 (burgeoning in the early 20th century)
    • A sense of community, human cohesion, ecological sensitivity, networks. The human mind must be freed from greed , dogma, and division; Feelings and care take precedence over cold rationality ; Appreciation of the earth, of Gaia , of life. Against any hierarchy ; Establishing cross-connections and networking .
  • Yellow : systemic- integrative
    • since around 1950
    • The self is what it wishes to be, out of consideration for other people and life in general. Not only your own life should be promoted. Good government facilitates the rise of entities at all levels of increasing complexity. According to estimates, around 1 percent of the world's population and around 5 percent of the power structures belong to this level at the beginning of the 21st century.
  • Turquoise : holistic
    • since around 1970
    • A self-serving, self-sacrificing system made up of multiple levels, interwoven into a conscious system.
  • Coral:
    • Will develop from the requirements of turquoise living conditions.

Basic idea

The concept of Spiral Dynamics is based on the work of the American psychologist Clare W. Graves , a colleague of Abraham Maslow .

“I am not saying in this conception of adult behavior that one style of being, one form of human existence is inevitably and in all circumstances superior to or better than another form of human existence, another style of being. What I am saying is that when one form of being is more congruent with the realities of existence, then it is the better form of living for those realities. And what I am saying is that when one form of existence ceases to be functional for the realities of existence then some other form, either higher or lower in the hierarchy, is the better form of living. I do suggest, however, and this I deeply believe is so, that for the overall welfare of total man's existence in this world, over the long run of time, higher levels are better than lower levels and that the prime good of any society's governing figures should be to promote human movement up the levels of human existence. "

“I am not saying that in this conception of adult behavior a certain level of being, a certain form of human existence is imperative and under all circumstances is higher or better than another form of human existence or another level of being. What I am saying is that if a form of being is more in tune with the existing living conditions, then it is the better form of being for such realities. And what I am saying is that when one form of being ceases to function for the realities of life, then another form of being - either higher or lower in the hierarchy - is the better form of being. I propose - and I strongly believe that it is - that for the well-being of the entire world population, higher levels are better than lower levels, and that the primary role of any government in society should be to advance people to new levels of society to promote human existence. "

- Clare W. Graves

Clare Graves' original theory is known as the "Emergent Cyclic Double-Helix Model of Adult Biopsychosocial Systems Development" or, more simply, the Levels of Existence Theory (ECLET). The term value meme, introduced by Beck and Cowan in Spiral Dynamics , replaced the original Graves names together with the color terminology. Graves used letter pairs to designate the individual levels in his development model, and he had no relation to " memetics ". Beck and Cowan emphasize the 'changing states' from Graves' theory. They mark landmarks on the path of transformation between the levels. Graves' original theory uses a double helix model to show the interrelationships between the individual's capacity to cognize living conditions and the individual's neuronal system that determines the level of psychological existence. This double helix for two interacting forces is also shown as a spiral in Spiral Dynamics .

Pathologies

Both Don Beck and Ken Wilber (a proponent of Spiral Dynamics and a proponent of Integral Theory ) believe that every value meme has healthy and unhealthy versions ( pathology ). This property is identified by the preposition “mean” (German: mean, malicious); for example in “Mean Green Meme” (MGM) or “Mean Orange Meme” (MOM). This is to express that the MOM includes the extremes of capitalism such as exploitation , environmental degradation and a general loss of ethical values ​​and sensitivity for people, while the MGM includes active contradiction such as anti-hierarchy, anti-competition, etc.

The “Mean Green Meme”, on the other hand, describes the idealization of the thoughts of the green level and the negation of the thoughts of the orange and blue levels, which means that profit-oriented thinking and acting, as well as the positive view of laws, constitutional states and nation states are lost and thus give more space to "lower currents" such as the red level (exercise of violence, striving for power through physical intimidation, crime).

The co-author of Spiral Dynamics , Chris Cowan, denies that there is any credible evidence for the existence of the "Mean Green Meme" (MGM) and he believes that this is a misinterpretation of the theory. Nowadays the MGM seems to be more and more recognizable. He points out that the term “mean” is inappropriate and a theoretical distortion when it comes to precise questions of adaptation or behavioral adaptation, congruence or failure. Psychopathological problems potentially exist on all levels and, in his view, have a dimension of their own.

Examples

The person with a "beige" worldview would describe it like this:

“ My life is focused on survival. It is aimed at the satisfaction of human biological needs. Like other animals, I live from what nature offers. My body tells me what to do. I react to what my senses tell my brain . "

A person with a (further developed) "purple" worldview would describe it like this:

“ My consciousness, my inner experience is diverse. I live in a social association. We seek security for ours through connection in families and with magical spirits. We have rituals and ceremonies. We try to live in harmony with nature . "

The (again developed) "red" worldview (which includes the two old ones) can be formulated as follows:

“ Life is a jungle in which only the strongest survive. I submit other people and nature. I follow feelings and impulses immediately and fight without remorse or guilt. I get respect. Of course I belong to my clan, but I only do what is good for me . "

Applications

In addition to the international marketing of the book of the same name, this theory is used for the analysis of cultural development, especially in conflict regions, and for political decision-making. On this basis, Don Beck advised Bill Clinton , Tony Blair and Nelson Mandela and used the model to support the transition to a post- apartheid era in South Africa. He received an award from the state of Texas for this. Spiral Dynamics is also used in the Middle East.

There are also other companies that have launched products based on Graves' theory. Graves himself never developed a test for his theory. He doubted that it would be possible to develop an easy-to-use instrument that would be able to accurately measure the levels of psychic existence. His interest was in how people think, and he had no interest in cataloging or evaluating what people thought about. The editor and editor of Graves' work Christopher Cowan , who also runs the website ClareWGraves.com, is of the opinion that the products on the market can only provide a snapshot, while the theory is based on a wave-like moving image with many imponderables.

Further processing

The philosopher Ken Wilber integrated Spiral Dynamics together with many other development stage models into his AQAL matrix.

See also

literature

  • Don Edward Beck, Teddy Hebo Larsen, Sergey Solonin, Rica Viljoen, Thomas Q. Johns: Spiral Dynamics: Mastering Values, Leadership, and Change . 2018, ISBN 978-1-119-38718-3 . (German: Spiral Dynamics in Practice: The Master Code of Mankind . 2019, ISBN 978-3-95883-360-9 )
  • Don Beck, Christopher Cowan: Spiral Dynamics: Mastering Values, Leadership, and Change . 1996, ISBN 1-55786-940-5 . (German: Spiral Dynamics - Leadership, Values ​​and Change . 2007, ISBN 978-3-89901-107-4 )
  • Martina Bär, Rainer Krumm, Hartmut Wiehle; Understanding, shaping, changing companies - the Graves Value System in practice. Gabler Verlag, Wiesbaden 2007, ISBN 978-3-8349-0291-7 .
  • Marion coastal maker, Tilmann Haberer, Werner Tiki coastal maker : God 9.0: Where our society will grow spiritually. Gütersloher Verlagshaus, 2010, ISBN 978-3-579-06546-5 .
  • The Never Ending Quest. Clare W. Graves, edited by Christopher C. Cowan, Natasha Todorovic, ECLET Publishing, Santa Barbara 2005, ISBN 0-9724742-1-8 .
  • Rainer Krumm, Benedikt Parstorfer: Clare W. Graves: His life, his work , Werdewelt Medienhaus, Haiger, 2014; ISBN 978-3-9815318-8-6

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Van Marrewijk, Marcel. "Strategic Orientations: Multiple Ways for Implementing Sustainable Performance." Technology and Investment, 2010, 1, 85-96. doi : 10.4236 / ti.2010.12010
  2. ^ Daniel Christian Wahl and Seaton Baxter, The Designer's Role in Facilitating Sustainable Solutions. MIT Press Journals, Volume 24, Number 2 Spring 2008
  3. ↑ Quoted from Jürgen Beetz : Feedback. How feedback determines our lives and rules nature, technology, society and the economy . Springer, Berlin / Heidelberg 2016, p. 226 f.
  4. ↑ Christoph Zollinger: The debate is ongoing: holistic theses for society, economy and politics . Via Nova, Petersberg 2005, ISBN 3-86616-006-2 , p. 84, 177 .
  5. ^ Vuk Stambolovic: The case of Serbia / Yugoslavia: An analysis through spiral dynamics . In: Medicine, Conflict and Survival . 18, No. 1, January 2002, pp. 59-70. doi : 10.1080 / 13623690208409606 .
  6. ^ Joseph Voros: Nesting social-analytical perspectives: an approach to macro-social analysis . In: Journal of Futures Studies . 11, No. 1, 2006, pp. 11-13.
  7. ^ A b Changing the World and Work. Radio National (Australia) March 7, 2004
  8. ^ The eight-stage spiral to peace in the Mideast. Haaretz , February 12, 2006
  9. ↑ The story behind 'Invictus': Man aided team now onscreen . Denton Record-Chronicle, December 24, 2009, found on Invictus: Reflections on Power and Love, Don Beck and Rugby in South Africa . Integral Leadership Review + Volume X, No. 1 - January 2010.
  10. ^ Don Beck and Graham Linscott, The Crucible: Forging South Africa's Future , Denton 1991, ISBN 0-620-16241-4
  11. ↑ http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/74R/billtext/html/SR00901F.htm
  12. ^ Build Palestine Initiative: How to Walk the Talk. pdf Palestine Times , January 26, 2007