Learn a method that will help you better select team members by understanding their value systems.
The history of the Spiral Dynamics model
In 1952, American psychologist Claire Graves began studying the triggers of human behavior. Graves’ goal was to analyze the behavior of mentally healthy people to find out if there is such a thing as a single norm of social behavior georgia mobile phone numbers database and to understand what triggers different thinking mechanisms.
Eight groups of students who studied personality psychology under Graves’ supervision took part in the experiment.
The study consisted of several stages:
#1. During lectures, without any additional guidance, students discussed the concept of a “healthy personality” and then wrote down their thoughts.
#2 The professor randomly assigned students to groups where each had the opportunity to present their ideas to their peers and defend them. Graves observed the discussions, remaining invisible to the students. After completing this stage, the students re-wrote their vision on paper, commenting on what had changed—or why nothing had changed.
#3 In the final phase of the study, Graves gave a lecture in which he presented the views of respected experts on the subject of a healthy personality team’s values – and then asked them to write down their thoughts again and explain how their views had changed.
Some of the experiment participants quickly changed their minds after each subsequent stage, some agreed with the opinion of the majority or experts, but some stuck to their own opinion.
Depending on how the students’ essays changed, Graves divided people into two categories:
- Sacrificers – those who adapt to their environment and make compromises in order to receive a reward.
Graves also distinguishes two subcategories : those who sacrifice for a delayed reward and those who want to receive it immediately. - Expressives – those who change the world by adapting it to themselves. Graves also distinguishes two types
among expressive personalities : those who care about expressing themselves even at the expense of other people, and those who do not involve other people in their fight for a place in the sun.
Continuing the experiment outside the walls of the university , Graves distinguished a third expressive subgroup – this group included people who cared about expressing themselves to such an extent that they were willing to pay any price for it. Additionally, Graves noticed that at different stages of the experiment, people’s beliefs could change – but it always happened in the same order: “we” changed into “I”.
The triggers that forced participants to reorganize also varied: for example, a subgroup of people who tended to make spur-of-the-moment sacrifices changed their minds easily under the pressure of authority.
All transformations took place as in a spiral: each new rotation contained information from the previous one, and jumping from one level to another was impossible – therefore this model was called “spiral dynamics”.
What is spiral dynamics?
The model of spiral dynamics shows the development of a person, their consciousness and personality.
What are the levels team’s values of spiral dynamics and what do their colors mean?
Level 0: color – beige, type of thinking – instinctive, focus on survival of the “I”. This level is not characterized by special consciousness – a person is completely subordinated to instincts and cares about the satisfaction of their basic needs: food in latvia, google searches about inflation have increased by 350% sleep, safety. The only goal of consciousness is survival, social adaptation or tolerance are not an option.
Level 1: color – purple, type of thinking – magical, focus on the tribal “we”. At this stage, the psyche is able to operate with more complex concepts, perceive and analyze the world around. Individuality becomes secondary team’s values – the dominant value is the good of the group. This level is also call the “tribal level”.
The need to protect one’s own “self” disappears and one focuses on society.
Level 2: color – red, type of thinking – warlike, focus on the powerful “I”.
Level 3: Color – Blue, Thinking Type – Absolutist, Focus on the Lawful “We”.
Level 4: Color – Orange, Thinking Type – Expressive-Rational guinea lists Focus on the Strategic “I”. Entrepreneurs and people active in their communities are most often at this level.
Level 5: color – green, type of thinking – compromise, ecological, focus on the collective “we”. The individual sacrifices their own interests in order to receive not what they want, but some other benefit – but immediately.