In the 1950s, psychology professor Clare Graves conducted research through which he found that people developed new values and perspectives, or worldviews, to adapt to changes in their social environments.
Eight basic worldviews have evolved.
Graves identified eight basic worldviews, described in detail by his student Don Beck in the 1996 book Spiral Dynamics. Each worldview evolved at a time in history when humans began living in larger groups, and each one reflects a different mindset:
| INSTINCTIVE arose around a million years ago | I’m meeting my survival needs. Example: early human hunter-gatherer bands in East Africa. |
| TRIBAL arose around 50,000 years ago | My life belongs to the tribe. My tribe supports and defines me. Examples: the Oneida, the Tapirapé. |
| WARRIOR arose around 3000 BCE | I defeat my enemies, demand respect, and feel no guilt. Examples: the Roman Empire, biker gangs. |
| TRADITIONAL arose around 500 BCE | I identify with my group/faith/unit/team/nation. Examples: military units, church congregations. |
| MODERNIST arose mid-1500s | If I’ve got the “right stuff,” and work smart, I can succeed. Examples: universities, Wall Street. |
| POSTMODERN arose mid-1960s | My relationships get me through and enrich my life. Examples: yoga studios, counseling practices, co-ops. |
| INTEGRATIVE arose mid-1990s | I see the “big picture,” and bring out the best in others. Examples: Nelson Mandela, BRICS summits. |
| HOLISTIC timeless | I feel at one with the cosmos, and cultivate love among others. Examples: holy men and women, sages. |
Each worldview builds upon the previous one.
Beck noted that each worldview builds upon the social foundation laid by the one that came before. For example:
- The Traditional worldview values law and order. It provides the social stability for the Modernist worldview to emerge.
- The Modernist values learning and progress. It provides the material resources for the Postmodern to emerge.
First-tier worldviews are limited.
Each “first-tier” worldview—Instinctive to Postmodern—has a similar assessment of the other worldviews: they’re wrong.
For example, Traditional regards Postmodern as immoral, while Postmodern sees Traditional as oppressive. Both see Modernist as selfish and cold.
Second-tier worldviews are expansive.
The “second-tier” Integrative and Holistic worldviews are different in that they recognize the positive aspects of every worldview. This enables the people who hold them to foster social harmony in ways that were previously impossible.
A person with a second-tier worldview can bring out the best in everyone, helping them express their values in positive ways.
