Lines of Development

[Limited aesthetic experience, basic sensorimotor perceptions]

Sensorimotor (Piaget): This stage, spanning from birth to about 2 years, involves learning through sensory experiences and physical interactions with the environment. Infants develop an understanding of the world through trial and error, and they begin to acquire object permanence.

1.0 Impulsive Parameters (Terri O'Fallon): We begin at birth at 1.0. The mind is primarily occupied by concrete content, we are focused on our Individual self, (“It’s all about me!”), and we are learning, and evolving primarily by receptivity.

Sensorimotor Actions (Michael Commons and Francis Richards): Actions are primarily physical and reflexive. Individuals respond to direct sensory inputs with motor actions, like a baby grasping an object.

Sentential Actions (Commons-Richards): At this level, individuals can use basic sentences and understand simple grammatical structures. Communication starts to develop beyond mere physical or sensory responses.

Single Sensorimotor Set (Kurt Fischer): This stage involves basic sensorimotor skills, where actions are simple and based on single sets of sensory input and motor response.

Sensorimotor Mapping (Fischer): Children begin to link different sensorimotor sets, forming more complex actions and responses. They start understanding relationships between different actions and objects.

Survival mechanisms

Reactivity Affect (Ken Wilber): This initial stage of affect is automatic and reflexive, a direct physiological and unprocessed response to stimuli.

Sensations/Physiostates Affect (Wilber): Basic sensory experiences and physiological responses are processed, such as the physical feelings of touch, temperature, pleasure, and pain, as well as biological states like thirst and hunger.

Egocentric ethical sense

Minimal, survival-oriented

[Primal bonding]

[Undifferentiated impulses]

Physiological Needs (Abraham Maslow): These are the most basic needs for human survival, such as food, water, air, shelter, and sleep. These needs must be met first before an individual can focus on higher levels of the hierarchy.

Pre-Oedipal

Order 0 - Incorporative Self (Robert Kegan): In this earliest stage, predominant in infancy, the individual lacks a distinct sense of self, with no clear differentiation between self and the external world. The infant perceives everything as an extension of themselves, without a consistent concept of object permanence.

Self-Centric [Symbiotic] (Susanne Cook-Greuter): At this stage, symbolized by infancy, individuals are dependent on their parents and struggle to make sense of the world around them.

Primal or Undifferentiated Faith (Infancy) (James Fowler): In this initial stage, typical of infants, the foundation of faith is formed primarily through the relationship and bonding with caregivers. The quality of this relationship can influence later perceptions of trust and safety in the world.

Survivalistic (Beige): (Clare Graves/Spiral Dynamics): Characterized by a focus on basic survival needs. This stage is about instinctive and automatic responses to the immediate environment. Individuals at this stage prioritize necessities like food, water, warmth, and safety. This level of consciousness is similar to that of early humans or infants, where actions are driven primarily by survival instincts.

Archaic (Jean Gebser): This is the most primitive stage. It is a pre-mental stage without a specific worldview or a reflective consciousness.

Accountive Viewers (Abigail Housen): Viewers interpret art based on personal stories and experiences, often focusing on literal aspects and personal connections.

Experiential Stage (Elliot Eisner): This early stage involves direct and sensory engagement with art. Children at this stage experience art primarily through the senses and emotions. They respond to the basic elements of art like color, shape, and texture.

Preoperational (Piaget): From ages 2 to 7, children use language, symbols, and imaginative play. Their thinking is non-logical, intuitive, and egocentric, with a developing capability for symbolic thinking.

Nominal Actions (Commons-Richards): This stage involves recognizing and naming objects and people. There is an understanding of things in the world as discrete entities with labels.

Preoperational Actions (Commons-Richards): Here, thinking becomes symbolic and imaginative. Individuals can think about objects and events not immediately present and engage in make-believe play.

Sensorimotor System (Fischer): At this level, multiple sensorimotor mappings are integrated into systems. This allows for more sophisticated interactions with the environment, like combining different actions to achieve a goal.

Single Representational Set (Fischer):

Mythical symbolism

Protoemotions (Wilber): These are the primary emotional responses that are more complex than sensations, representing the first layer of emotional experience, including basic feelings such as tension, fear, rage, and satisfaction.

Taboos and totems

Ethnocentric, tribal sense of the world

Undifferentiated (Wilber): Gender identity is not yet distinct; there's an absence of a firm sense of gender roles or identity.

Trust vs. Mistrust (0-1 year) (Erik Erikson): In this stage, infants learn to trust others, primarily caregivers, if their basic needs are consistently met. If not, they may develop mistrust towards people and the world.

Impulsive Self: The Impulsive Self stage is characterized by the emergence of basic emotional responses and the dawning of personal preferences and desires. Introspection is mostly limited to direct reactions to the environment. Individuals at this stage can recognize and express spontaneous feelings and impulses but do not yet have the ability to reflect on their emotions or the causes behind them.

Development of fine motor skills

Obedience and Punishment Orientation (Lawrence Kohlberg): Moral decisions are based on avoiding punishment and absolute obedience to authority. Actions are deemed right or wrong based on their immediate physical consequences.

Egoistic Hedonism (Cheryl Armon): In this stage, the good life is equated with physical and sensory experiences that satisfy self-centric desires and fantasies, without considering others' needs or behavioral consequences. Children at this stage lack a conscious set of value criteria and don't differentiate between happiness, contentment, satisfaction, and pleasure. Their understanding of the good is simplistic, focusing only on material objects and activities that provide pleasure​.

Safety Needs (Maslow): Once physiological needs are satisfied, the focus shifts to safety and security. This includes personal security, employment, resources, health, and property. A stable and predictable environment is crucial at this stage.

Archetypal, totemic sexual identity

Order 1 - Impulsive Self (Kegan): Emerging in early childhood, this stage is marked by the development of a separate self. The child becomes aware of their own needs and impulses, but thinking remains egocentric and driven by immediate desires and perceptions. The child starts to differentiate themselves from others and their environment.

Self-Centric [Impulsive] (Cook-Greuter): Toddlers experience this stage, where they think in crude dichotomies and find it easy to feel overwhelmed and abandoned. People are seen as objects to fulfill their needs.

Undifferentiated Continuum (Speculative): The perception of space and time begins to evolve with the emergence of symbolic thinking and limited logical reasoning. Individuals experience the world through a first-person perspective. Space at this stage is perceived as an undifferentiated extension of the self, and time is experienced as a cycle of events rather than as a continuous, linear flow.  Space and time are understood in basic, symbolic terms, often through mythological and animistic lenses.

Intuitive-Projective Faith (Early Childhood) (Fowler): Characterized by a child's imagination and intuition. At this stage, faith is learned through stories, rituals, and the observable behaviors of adults. Children interpret these experiences in a very literal way.

Magic-Animistic (Purple) (Graves/SD): The emphasis shifts to safety and security through belonging to a group. This stage is marked by magical thinking, superstition, and a strong emphasis on rituals and traditions. There's a sense of communal identity and belonging, where individuals see themselves as part of a tribe or group, and group norms and customs are highly valued.

Impulsive Will (Speculated): Here, willpower is still primitive, guided by magical thinking and egocentric desires. There’s a basic understanding of cause and effect, but self-regulation is minimal and heavily influenced by immediate social and environmental factors.

Magical (Gebser): In this stage, the world is experienced through a magical unity with nature. There is an emergence of a primitive form of consciousness, where the world is perceived as animated and alive. The magical stage is characterized by a lack of differentiation between the self and the external world.

Favoritism (Michael Parsons): Focuses on the sensory pleasure children derive from art, emphasizing basic sensory experiences and personal enjoyment.

Constructive Viewers (Housen): Viewers begin to make sense of art based on past experiences and knowledge, showing a rudimentary understanding of artistic concepts.

Skill Development Stage (Eisner): As individuals progress, they start developing specific artistic skills. This stage focuses on the acquisition of techniques and the understanding of artistic tools and materials.

Concrete Operational - Early Phase (Piaget):

1.5 Egocentric Parameters (O'Fallon): At 1.5 the only parameter shift is the Learning Style, moving from Receptive to Active. This one little shift does not seem like much, but this one little shift is the difference between a baby laying helplessly on the bed and a toddler pushing a chair up to the counter to get into the cookie jar. It’s a revolution of consciousness (and makes for a whole lot more work for the parents!) The child has not just learned to define its physical self, it now knows how to use it.

Primary Actions (Commons-Richards): This stage is characterized by the beginning of logical thought. Individuals can understand and apply concrete operations like sorting and classifying objects based on their properties.

Representational Mapping (Fischer): Children link different representational sets, understanding relationships between various concepts and ideas.

Power dynamics and control

Second-order Affects (Wilber): These emotions are more sophisticated and include psychological components such as anxiety, anger, wishing, liking, and safety. They are typically relational and can be influenced by personal interactions and experiences.

Self-Awareness (Daniel Goleman): This involves understanding one's own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, values, and motivations. People with high self-awareness are often very conscious of how they feel and how their emotions affect their thoughts and behavior. They understand their values and goals and can recognize how their emotions and mood can affect other people.

Might makes right

Separation of self vs. other

Differentiated basic-gender identity (Wilber): Individuals begin to differentiate and identify with basic gender roles. Gender is understood and expressed in conventional terms, often aligning with societal norms.

Undifferentiated Perspective Taking (Robert Selman): At this stage, children typically cannot distinguish between their own perspective and that of another person. They assume that other people see, hear, and feel exactly the same as they do. (3-6 years)

Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (1-3 years) (Erikson): Toddlers learn to exercise will and do things independently, leading to a sense of autonomy. Over-criticism or lack of support can result in feelings of shame and doubt about their abilities.

Egocentric Self: Individuals are aware of their own needs and desires as separate from others. They can perceive their personal emotions and impulses and may act assertively to fulfill them. Introspective capacity includes recognizing what one wants and feels, but without much understanding of the underlying reasons or the impact on others.

Competitive prowess

Individualism and Exchange (Kohlberg): Right actions are those that serve individual interests, with a recognition of different individual perspectives. There's an understanding of fairness as a simple exchange, where "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours."

Pre-conventional (Selfish) (Carol Gilligan):

Instrumental Hedonism (Armon): Here, the good consists of activities, objects, and people that serve the individual's emotional and material needs. People at this stage consider the means to achieve their desired ends, including other people's interests and intentions. The good life is seen in concrete terms, focused on fulfilling self-centric wants, needs, and interests, often conflating the 'desired' with the 'desirable'​

[Respect and autonomy needs]

Dominant/submissive dynamics

Order 2 - Instrumental Mind (Kegan): Typically developing in late childhood, individuals in this stage understand that others have separate needs and desires. Thinking is still concrete, with a focus on direct cause-and-effect relationships. There's an emerging understanding of rules and social expectations, but these are often interpreted in a self-serving way.

Self-Centric [Self-protective] (Cook-Greuter): This stage represents an impulsive, self-centered mindset lacking consideration for the needs and suffering of others. Social rules are recognized but followed only for immediate benefit or to avoid punishment. Success is often achieved through opportunism and unilateral power.

Opportunist Action-Logic (Bill Torbert): Opportunists are primarily self-oriented and manipulative, focusing on personal gains and often seen as autocratic. Their intelligence is centered on survival and personal advantage. At this stage, learning is reactive, with individuals responding to immediate problems without much reflection on long-term consequences or ethical considerations. This approach limits their capacity for broader organizational or ethical insight.

Immediate Realms (Speculative): Cognitive development progresses to include more concrete logical thinking about events. The person-perspective is still first-person, marked by an energetic focus on immediate needs and desires. The locus of temporal attention is on the immediate time, with a concrete understanding of space as directly experienced in the immediate surroundings. Early practical knowledge, such as basic agriculture and simple construction, begins to emerge, reflecting a more practical, yet still egocentric, engagement with the world.

Mythic-Literal Faith (Middle Childhood) (Fowler): Faith becomes more structured with the development of concrete operational thinking. Children begin to understand and internalize religious stories and beliefs more literally. Moral understanding is often based on rewards and punishments.

Chaotic-Antisocial Stage (M. Scott Peck): This stage is characterized by a lack of self-discipline and a general disinterest in spiritual matters. Individuals in this stage may lead a chaotic life and often behave in ways that are socially unacceptable or harmful. They tend to reject any form of external authority and may act out in antisocial ways.

Egocentric (Red) (Graves/SD): The Egocentric stage is characterized by a focus on individual power and assertiveness. It represents a break from the group conformity of the Tribalistic stage. Here, the world is seen as a place where power and action prevail, and individuals strive for autonomy and control. This stage is marked by impulsive, sometimes aggressive behavior, driven by self-gratification and a desire to assert oneself.

Assertive Will (Speculated): Willpower becomes a tool for dominance and power. Self-regulation is used to fulfill desires for control and status. Actions are driven by a strong sense of personal desire and immediate gratification.

Beauty and Realism (Parsons): Art is appreciated for its beauty, often judged by conventional and personal standards. The focus shifts to aesthetics and surface-level appeal.

Classifying Viewers (Housen): Art is understood through its historical and theoretical contexts, with viewers using knowledge of art history and theory.

Conventional Stage (Eisner): This stage involves understanding and applying conventional rules and standards of art. Individuals learn about different styles, historical art movements, and the basics of artistic criticism.

Concrete Operational Stage - Full Development (Piaget): Children understand cause and effect, categorize objects, and start to grasp complex concepts like time and space, but in concrete terms.

2.0 Rule Oriented Parameters (O'Fallon): Whatever enters the social milieu becomes something to be in Reciprocity with. Thus, as the group goes so do we. Often this can get us into trouble.

2.5 Conformist Parameters (O'Fallon): The shift from 2.0 to 2.5 means we become one with our principles. By standing on our principles we are no longer at the beck and call of the group dynamic and can stand on what’s right regardless of what is happening around us. This allows for stable relationships, stable religions, stable governments and ushers in a personal sense of safety and stability.

Dualism (Perry): In early college years, students see knowledge as black-and-white, and they rely on authorities for definitive answers.

Concrete Operations (Commons-Richards): Thinking becomes more logical and organized. Individuals at this stage can understand relationships and logical rules, but these are typically applied to concrete, tangible objects and situations.

Representational System (Fischer): Multiple representational mappings are integrated into systems. Children can think about complex scenarios and relationships using symbolic representation.

Security in structure

Third-order Affects (Wilber): Emotions at this stage are more complex and nuanced, often tied to social roles and the self's relation to others. They include love, joy, depression, hate, and a sense of belongingness.

Self-Regulation (Goleman): This refers to the ability to control and regulate one's own emotions and impulses. Individuals who excel in self-regulation can manage their emotional reactions to situations and stressors. They tend to be flexible and adapt well to change, are good at managing conflict, and can restrain impulses.

Law and order ethical systems

Awaiting a future salvation

Gender conventionality (Wilber): There is a strong adherence to conventional gender roles. Individuals at this stage tend to conform to the traditional expectations associated with their gender.

Social-Informational Perspective Taking (Selman): Children begin to understand that different perspectives may exist because people have access to different information. However, they still might not fully comprehend that another's viewpoint can be influenced by that individual's unique thoughts and feelings. (4-9 years)

Initiative vs. Guilt (3-6 years) (Erikson): Preschoolers begin to initiate activities and assert control over their world through play and social interactions. If discouraged, they may feel guilty about their needs and desires.

Socialized Self: At the Socialized Self stage, introspection is influenced by social norms and expectations. Individuals can reflect on their feelings and thoughts as they relate to their roles within the group. There is an understanding of self in relation to others' perceptions and the rules of social engagement, but reflection is largely confined to how well one fits into established norms and values.

Repetitive, practice-driven skill

Good Interpersonal Relationships (Kohlberg): Moral decisions are made based on living up to the expectations of close others, focusing on being “good” in the eyes of peers and family. There’s an emphasis on trust, empathy, and respect in relationships.

Conventional (Care) (Gilligan): Emphasizes care and responsibility for others, often to the point of self-sacrifice. Morality is characterized by prioritizing the needs and well-being of others, sometimes at the expense of one's own needs.

Altruistic Mutuality (Armon): This stage marks a shift from self-centric to mutual considerations. The good life is characterized by positive mutual interpersonal experiences and affective happiness. Relationships and consensus in valuing become central, with an emphasis on mutual affiliation and interaction, and the good life involves making both oneself and others happy

Love and Belongingness Needs: After physiological and safety needs are met, individuals seek to fulfill their social needs. This involves relationships with family, friends, and romantic partners, and encompasses feelings of belonging, affection, and love.

Gender roles defined

Order 3 - Socialized Mind (Kegan): Commonly seen in adolescence and young adulthood, this stage involves conforming to the values and expectations of one's relationships and society. Individuals define themselves through their relationships and are highly concerned with others' opinions and approval. The sense of self is heavily influenced by external sources.

Group-Centric [Conformist] (Cook-Greuter):  Individuals' identities are closely tied to their group affiliations, emphasizing conformity to group norms and a strong desire for belonging and acceptance. Interpersonal harmony within the group is prioritized, with a limited ability to understand perspectives outside the group's standards. Morality is rule-based, aligning with the group's values, and there's a clear 'us versus them' distinction. Respect for authority and established hierarchies within the group is common, and emotional security is heavily dependent on group approval, leading to a strong adherence to group expectations and a reduced capacity for independent critical thinking.

Diplomat Action-Logic (Torbert): Diplomats prioritize belonging and seek to please others, avoiding conflict to maintain group harmony. Their intelligence lies in understanding social dynamics and maintaining relationships. Their learning is about conforming to social norms and expectations, often taking feedback personally and showing limited reflection on their own role in outcomes, which can hinder innovative or independent thinking.

Structured Cycles (Speculative): Characterized by the development of spatial categorization and a concept of linear time. The second-person perspective allows individuals to see themselves in relation to others within a structured social context. Although a linear perception of time begins to emerge, it is largely limited to past and present perspectives, and time is generally still understood as cyclical. Consciousness begins to perceive the world through stories and narratives, while space becomes a backdrop for these narratives, taking on symbolic and mythic qualities. This stage represents a two-dimensional, multi-perspectival consciousness where time and space are imbued with meaning beyond their physical dimensions. This stage witnesses the emergence of early scientific models and philosophies, such as astronomical observations and calendrical systems, reflecting a more organized and tradition-bound understanding of the world.

 Synthetic-Conventional Faith (Adolescence) (Fowler): This stage is marked by a conformity to the beliefs of one’s community. Individuals in this stage often have not yet critically examined their own beliefs, but instead, rely on the authority and validation of their community and significant others.

Formal-Institutional Stage (Peck): People in this stage find comfort and a sense of belonging in institutional religions and structured belief systems. They tend to adhere strictly to rules and doctrines and often view the world in black-and-white terms. This stage is marked by a reliance on external authority for moral and spiritual guidance.

Absolutistic (Blue) (Graves/SD): At the Absolutistic stage, the focus is on order, purpose, and meaning derived from adherence to absolute principles or authority. This stage is marked by a belief in absolute truth, discipline, and a clear sense of right and wrong. It's a stage where rules, laws, and order are important, and individuals seek stability and meaning through structure and hierarchy.

Conformist Will (Speculated): Self-control is exercised in adherence to rules, norms, and traditions. Willpower is used to maintain order and fulfill role expectations within a structured system (like a religion or a societal hierarchy).

Mythical Stage (Gebser): The mythical stage is marked by the development of myths and stories that explain the world. This stage introduces a more structured and narrative understanding of the world, where time is perceived in a cyclical form, and there is a strong emphasis on symbolism and imagery.

Expressiveness (Parsons): Emphasis on the expression of feelings and ideas in art, recognizing that art conveys emotions and narratives.

3.0 Expert Parameters (O'Fallon): We are now beginning to perceive the Subtle world of objects. So instead of seeing a tree, or visualizing a tree (thinking about Concrete objects) we

Abstract (Commons-Richards): Abstract thinking develops, allowing for the application of logical operations to abstract and hypothetical situations. Concepts are understood independently of specific, tangible instances.

Abstract Set (Fischer): This stage involves the development of abstract thinking. Children begin to think abstractly and conceptually without needing concrete objects or representations.

Abstract Mapping (Fischer): Children can link different abstract concepts, forming complex relationships and understanding higher-order principles.

Protection through mastery

Ethics of excellence and craftsmanship

Awareness of complex systems

Gender consistency (norms) (Wilber): Consistency with gender norms becomes important, and individuals strive to align their gender identity and roles with societal expectations.

Self-Reflective Perspective Taking (Selman): At this level, children can step into another person's shoes and understand their perspective; they realize that thoughts and feelings are distinct for each individual. They start to see that someone else can have a perspective about their own perspective, which helps them to engage in mutual perspective taking. (7-12 years)

Industry vs. Inferiority (6-12 years) (Erikson): School-aged children develop a sense of pride and competence in their skills and work. Failure to achieve or negative feedback can lead to feelings of inferiority.

Skill-Centric Self: The Skill-Centric Self stage marks the beginning of recognizing one's own thought processes. Individuals can perceive habits, thought patterns, and emotional responses, but these are not yet fully objectified. There is an awareness of personal competencies and a focus on improvement, yet introspection is still from within the stream of thinking without the capacity to fully stand apart from one's own cognition.

Practice towards expertise

Maintaining Social Order (Kohlberg): Morality is defined by upholding laws, rules, and authority to maintain societal order and ensure the welfare of the group or society. Actions are evaluated in terms of their contribution to the common good and respect for established authority.

Individuality (Armon): At this stage, individuals focus on self-chosen, internalized values and interests. The good life involves activities that are personally meaningful and contribute to society. People in this stage show concern for individualism, prioritizing self-chosen values and the freedom to deviate from societal norms. They seek to balance personal fulfillment with the welfare of society

Esteem Needs (Maslow): This stage is about achieving, gaining recognition, and feeling respected by others. It includes self-esteem, confidence, achievement, and respect from others. Fulfilling these needs leads to feelings of self-worth and value.

Skill-Centric [Self-Conscious] (Cook-Greuter): People at this stage begin self-reflection and strive to express their uniqueness. They focus on being respected for their abilities and want to be the best in their field. Collaboration may be challenging, and negative feedback is often taken personally.

Expert Action-Logic (Torbert): Experts are focused on mastery and efficiency within their domain, often being perfectionists. They rely on technical or functional expertise. Their learning is specialized, focusing on technical and functional learning within their expertise area, and they may resist feedback that challenges their knowledge base, which can limit their adaptability and broader strategic thinking.

Expanding Horizons (Speculative): There is a significant shift towards reflection on thoughts and feelings, marking the early stages of rational thought. The third-person perspective emerges, bringing a more human-centered approach to understanding space and time. The locus of temporal attention includes planning for the near future, indicating a more advanced perception of time. This stage sees the development of more advanced practical knowledge, like complex architecture, early mechanical systems, and the emergence of perspective in art, reflecting a growing rational and objective understanding of the world.

Proficient Will (Speculated): Willpower is used in a focused and skillful manner, often aligned with expertise and mastery in a particular domain. Self-regulation is directed towards achieving proficiency and effectiveness within a specific field or skill set.

Style and Form (Parsons): Recognition of different artists' styles and techniques, appreciating the technical aspects and innovation in art.

Interpretive Viewers (Housen): Viewers seek deeper meanings in art, analyzing and interpreting artworks beyond just their surface appearance.

Reflective Stage (Eisner): Here, individuals begin to reflect more deeply on their own art and the art of others. There's a growing awareness of the subjective nature of art and an appreciation for multiple perspectives.

Formal Operational Stage (Piaget): Adolescents develop the ability to think abstractly and reason about hypothetical problems, including future possibilities and deductive reasoning.

3.5 Achiever Parameters (O'Fallon): The individual starts learning how to be Active with their thinking and feeling: thinking about their thinking, thinking about their feeling, feeling about their thinking, and feeling about their feeling. As a result, they begin to shift the building blocks of their mind into new configurations that work better. What new thoughts will I create in my own mind that will help me succeed better? What new feelings do I need to create so I function better?

Multiplicity (Perry): Description: Recognition of multiple views and understanding that not all questions have clear-cut answers, acknowledging uncertainty and diverse opinions.

Formal (Commons-Richards): Formal operational thinking involves systematic planning and hypothesizing. Individuals can think abstractly, test hypotheses, and consider possibilities not directly tied to the current reality.

Systematic (Commons-Richards): This stage involves understanding and building systems. Individuals can manage multiple variables and see the interrelations within a system. Allows individuals to construct multivariate systems and matrices

Systemic (Fischer): At this stage, children can integrate various abstract mappings into a system, allowing for sophisticated understanding and problem-solving.

Risk analysis

Fourth-order Affects (Wilber): These emotions are characterized by a global or universal perspective, including feelings of universal affect, global justice, care, compassion, and world-centric altruism.

Motivation (Goleman): Goleman's model emphasizes intrinsic motivation, which is motivation driven by inner values rather than external rewards. People with high levels of motivation in this sense are often very committed to their goals, are ready to take initiative, and have a high degree of persistence in the face of obstacles or challenges.

Universal, formal ethics

Questioning absolutism, seeking personal meaning

Gender authorship (deVos): A stage where individuals experiment with and define their own gender identities, often questioning, transcending, and reshaping traditional norms to align with their personal understanding and experience of gender. Focus on differentiating biological sex, social gender roles, and personal identities.

Third-Party Perspective Taking (Selman): Individuals can step outside a two-person situation and look at it from an impartial third-party perspective. They can compare another person's perspective with that of an abstract 'other' and recognize that their perspective taking can be influenced by societal norms and roles. (10-15 years)

Identity vs. Role Confusion (12-18 years) (Erikson): Adolescents explore different roles and ideas to develop a personal identity and sense of self. Lack of exploration or an inability to settle on an identity can lead to confusion about who they are.

Reflective Self: The Reflective Self stage allows individuals to think about their thinking and see their mind as an object. There is a newfound ability to analyze personal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors critically. Introspection includes self-assessment, recognition of personal biases, and the capacity for self-regulation based on personal goals and objective self-evaluation.

Discipline of mental and emotional bodies

Social Contract and Individual Rights (Kohlberg): Moral reasoning recognizes the relativity of personal values and opinions and emphasizes legal rights and social contracts. The focus is on the greatest good for the greatest number, with an understanding that laws should uphold individual rights and sometimes need to be changed to serve society's needs.

Post-conventional (Universal Care) (Gilligan):

Cognitive Needs (Maslow): These include the need for knowledge, understanding, and exploration. Cognitive needs drive the pursuit of intellectual growth and the desire to seek out new information and experiences.

Freudian perspectives

Order 4 - Self-Authoring Mind (Kegan): Often reached in adulthood, this stage is characterized by the development of a personal ideology and value system. Individuals are able to reflect critically on external influences and take ownership of their own beliefs, values, and identities. They navigate complex social environments by aligning actions with their self-generated principles.

Self-Determining [Conscientious] (Cook-Greuter): With a forward and backward vision spanning five to ten years, achievers seek self-improvement and appreciate conceptual complexity. They question societal norms and take responsibility for their potential. Interpersonal relationships become important, and the desire to improve the world drives them forward.

Achiever Action-Logic (Torbert): Achievers are results-oriented and driven by success, focusing on achieving goals and meeting organizational standards. Their intelligence is characterized by strategic thinking and goal achievement. Their learning is strategic; they consider broader impacts of actions and use feedback as a tool for goal achievement and performance improvement, which enhances their effectiveness as managers.

Measured Realities (Speculative): Marked by abstract thinking and hypothetical reasoning. An expanded third-person perspective allows for a more universal and objective view of space and time. Space is seen in a more objective, measurable, and three-dimensional perspective, composed of discrete units rather than reflections of the whole. Time is perceived as linear and progressive, moving from the past through the present to the future. Long term future potentials begin to come into awareness, within a more abstract understanding of space-time. This stage is significant for the development of scientific models like Newtonian physics and the Cartesian coordinate system, reflecting a more analytical, objective, and scientific approach to understanding the phenomena of space and time.

Individuative-Reflective Faith (Young Adulthood) (Fowler): A stage of personal reflection and exploration. Individuals begin to critically analyze their beliefs and may experience a shift from inherited faith to a more personal and internalized faith. This stage can involve questioning, doubt, and the development of a more complex understanding of spirituality.

Skeptic-Individual Stage (Peck): Individuals in this stage begin to question the dogma and authority they once accepted. This stage is marked by skepticism and a reliance on rational thought and personal experience. People in this stage may distance themselves from formal institutions and seek a more personal understanding of spirituality.

Multiplistic (Orange) (Graves/SD): The Multiplistic stage is characterized by a focus on success, autonomy, and strategic achievement. It's a rational stage where the world is seen as a series of opportunities to be exploited for personal gain. This stage values achievement, innovation, and the pursuit of material success. It is marked by a more scientific and entrepreneurial approach to life, where efficiency, autonomy, and the pursuit of progress are key.

Strategic Will (Speculated): Willpower is applied in pursuit of achievement and success within a rational and scientific framework. Self-regulation is aimed at maximizing efficiency, productivity, and progress.

Mental Stage (Gebser): This stage represents the development of rational and analytical thought. The mental stage is where dualistic thinking emerges, along with the concepts of linear time and causality. It's characterized by the ability to abstract, conceptualize, and use logic.

Re-creative Viewers (Housen): Deep personal connection with art, integrating emotional, intellectual, and aesthetic aspects, recognizing the multiplicity of meanings.

Critical Stage (Eisner): In this advanced stage, individuals engage in critical analysis of art. They are able to contextualize art within broader cultural, historical, and social frameworks and understand its deeper meanings and implications.

4.0 Pluralist Parameters (O'Fallon): There is a whole interior Collective we discover within. This interior Collective is made up of many voices, personas

Relativism (Perry): Students understand that knowledge is contextual and subjective, valuing context and subjective analysis in forming knowledge.

Metasystematic (Commons-Richards) / Early Vision-Logic (Wilber): At the metasystematic stage, individuals can coordinate, compare, and integrate multiple systems of thought, seeing the connections and interactions between different systems. Allows individuals to construct multi-systems and metasystems out of disparate systems.

Systems of Systems (Fischer): This advanced stage involves integrating multiple systems into even more complex structures. It represents the ability to understand and conceptualize highly complex and abstract ideas and relationships.

Tolerance and sensitivity

Empathy (Goleman): This component involves understanding and sharing the feelings of others. It's about recognizing and appropriately responding to others' emotional cues. Empathy is crucial for developing and maintaining social relationships and is a key part of social awareness. It involves being able to sense others' feelings and perspectives and taking an active interest in their concerns.

Multicultural and context ethics

Searching for inner peace, social justice

Gender androgyny (trans-differentiated) (Wilber): This stage is marked by a blending, deconstruction, or transcendence of traditional gender roles. Individuals integrate qualities traditionally considered masculine and feminine, leading to a more fluid expression of gender. Differentiation of sex, gender, and identity continues, but can often lead to dissociation, e.g. denial of biological factors.

Societal Perspective (Selman): Taking At this most complex level, individuals can consider the perspectives of multiple people at once and how those perspectives are shaped by broader societal and cultural contexts. This level includes an understanding that one's viewpoint can be a specific instance of a general societal perspective. (14 years-adult)

Intimacy vs. Isolation (young adulthood) (Erikson): Young adults seek to form intimate, loving relationships with other people. Failure to establish such connections can lead to feelings of isolation.

Sensitive Self: Individuals at the Sensitive Self stage can reflect on their embedment in systems and cultural constructs, but can only introspect from within those systems. There is an understanding of the complex interplay of personal projections and those of others. Introspective capacity includes empathy and the ability to appreciate multiple perspectives, as well as an awareness of one's influence on and by group dynamics.

Harmony of body and mind

Universal Principles (Kohlberg): Moral decisions are based on self-chosen ethical principles that are universal, such as justice, dignity, and equality. These principles are abstract and ethical, guiding decisions based on an internal moral compass, regardless of laws or social agreements.

Autonomy (Armon): The good life is defined within a rational, consistent, and universal value framework. People at this stage construct values autonomously, focusing on intrinsic over extrinsic values. They emphasize creativity and intellectual challenges, seeking a balance between self-satisfaction and contributing to society. This stage involves recognizing the interdependence of all people and accepting human frailty and the limits of truth

Aesthetic Needs (Maslow): Aesthetic needs are about the appreciation of beauty, balance, and form. It involves the pursuit of experiences that are aesthetically pleasing and fulfilling.

Sexual identity diversity

Self-Questioning [Individualist] (Cook-Greuter):  Individuals begin to appreciate inner psychological states and interpersonal dynamics more deeply. There's an increased tolerance for ambiguity and a focus on self-actualization and authenticity.

Individualist Action-Logic (Torbert): Individualists begin to question internal motivations and the status quo, valuing uniqueness and authenticity. Their intelligence is introspective, focusing on personal growth. Their learning is reflective, involving questioning of assumptions and increased openness to feedback and different perspectives, leading to deeper self-awareness and more creative problem-solving.

Interconnected Realms (Speculative): Cognitive development advances to meta-systemic thinking and relational understanding. A fourth-person perspective emerges (e.g. an observer who observes another observer, who is observing another phenomenon), resulting in the recognition of spatial relativity and the interconnectedness of past, present, and future. This stage is characterized by systemic thinking and the emergence of scientific models that integrate space and time, such as General Relativity. It reflects a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between various elements of the world, both in space and time.

Conjunctive Faith (Midlife and Beyond) (Fowler): Characterized by an openness to paradox and opposing viewpoints. Individuals in this stage recognize the limitations of logic and embrace the complexity and mystery of life. There is often a deepening commitment to one's core beliefs while also being open to the insights of other traditions and perspectives.

Relativistic (Green) (Graves/SD): In the Relativistic stage, the focus shifts to community, equality, and shared responsibility. This stage is marked by pluralism, with a strong emphasis on community, relationships, and caring for others. It values equality, consensus, and harmony, and is sensitive to social issues and environmental concerns. This stage often challenges the hierarchies and competitiveness of the previous stages, emphasizing empathy and a more holistic understanding of life.

Systemic Will (Speculative):  The focus of willpower shifts towards community and relationships. Self-regulation is used for the benefit of interpersonal harmony and understanding, and to address societal inequalities.

Autonomy (Parsons): Individuals exhibit a mature and independent appreciation of art, characterized by a nuanced understanding of its technical, aesthetic, and conceptual aspects. They engage deeply with art, forming personal interpretations and emotional responses that are informed by an extensive knowledge of the artwork's context and an evolved personal aesthetic sensibility.

Creative/Personal Synthesis Stage (Eisner): Eisner's final stage is marked by the development of a personal style or approach to art. Individuals at this stage are not only able to appreciate and analyze art critically but also contribute to the field of art through their own creative expressions.

4.5 Strategist Parameters (O'Fallon): We can create systems that allow for the greater good to occur for everyone involved. How can we organize our own mini- culture to create the best experiences for those around us? How can we best design an interior mini-culture for all our interior voices? How can we use our understanding of our own interior to make a better exterior world, and how can we use the understanding of the exterior world to make a better interior life? We see all the social, contextual, cultural, and psychological feedback loops and begin to adjust them so they will create the best outcomes for everyone.

Paradigmatic (Commons-Richards) / Middle Vision-Logic (Wilber): This stage is characterized by the ability to understand and formulate paradigms or overarching frameworks that integrate various systems and theories. Allows individuals to fit metasystems together to form new paradigms, or to show "incomplete" or "inconsistent" aspects of metasystems.

Adaptive defenses that foster growth

Social Skills (Goleman): This domain covers a wide range of social competencies, including effective communication, the ability to build and maintain relationships, leadership, teamwork, and conflict management. It's about being adept at managing relationships and building networks, and having the ability to find common ground and build rapport.

Evolutionary ethics, fluid morality

Recognition of interconnected existence

Gender Integration (deVos): Individuals have a holistic understanding of gender that transcends societal constructs. They embrace an integrated sense of gender that is authentic to their personal self-actualization and autonomous values. This stage reflects a maturity in which gender is just one aspect of a person's total being and is harmoniously integrated into their identity and actions.

Generativity vs. Stagnation (middle adulthood) (Erikson): Adults need to create or nurture things that will outlast them, often by parenting children or contributing to positive changes that benefit other people. Failure to achieve this can result in feelings of stagnation and unproductiveness.

Evolutionary Self: The Evolutionary Self stage is where individuals can see systems and stages of development from an outside perspective. Introspection includes understanding one's own development and recognizing the multi-layered aspects of the self. There is greater capacity for meta-cognition and the ability to reflect on one's growth and change over time.

Embodiment practices that unite physical, mental, and spiritual bodies

Integrated (Interdependent Care) (Gilligan):

Second-order Mutuality (Armon): An advanced moral development phase where individuals integrate various systems into a cohesive meta-system. This stage moves beyond coordinating discrete systems, instead viewing the self and society as interconnected parts of a broader system, often conceptualized as 'mankind' or 'nature.' Here, moral understanding reflects a deep interconnectivity, with good work being self-producing and socially integrative, underscoring the mutual dependency of the self and the larger systems.

Self-Actualization Needs: At the top of the hierarchy, self-actualization refers to realizing one's full potential and seeking personal growth and fulfillment. This stage is characterized by creativity, problem-solving, acceptance of facts, and the pursuit of personal goals and peak experiences.

Psychosexual maturity, integrating sexuality and spirituality

Self-Actualizing [Autonomous] (Cook-Greuter): Characterized by a high degree of independence in thinking and values. People at this stage are comfortable with complex, systemic thinking and can hold multiple perspectives simultaneously.

Strategist Action-Logic (Torbert): Strategists understand complex systems and long-term strategies, appreciating feedback and open to learning. Their intelligence is systemic, encompassing both organizational and personal perspectives. Their learning is systemic, recognizing interconnected elements within systems and using feedback to understand system dynamics and make holistic improvements, fostering a more integrated approach to leadership.

Multidimensional Perspectives (Speculative): Characterized by paradigmatic thinking and complex feedback loops, the expanded fourth-person perspective allows for a multi-dimensional understanding of space and time. Multiple timelines and dimensions are contemplated, reflecting an integrative, holistic perception. Scientific models such as quantum mechanics and early string theory concepts emerge, indicating a sophisticated, nuanced understanding of the universe's complexity.

Universalizing Faith (Rarely Achieved) (Fowler): 
This is a stage of enlightenment where an individual’s sense of self extends beyond personal beliefs and individual identity to a broader sense of connection with all of humanity and life. People in this stage often exhibit qualities like unconditional love and a deep commitment to social justice and the welfare of others.

Systemic (Yellow) (Graves/SD): The Systemic stage is about integration, flexibility, and functionality. This stage is characterized by a systems-oriented approach to understanding the complexity of life. It values knowledge, competence, and an ability to see the interconnectedness of systems. This stage transcends the focus on individual or group identity and instead focuses on understanding and navigating complex systems effectively.

Developmental Will (Speculative): Willpower is used in a more balanced, integrated way, recognizing the interdependence of all life. There’s a focus on personal development that harmonizes body, mind, and spirit, respecting both individual needs and the collective good.

Integral Stage (or Aperspectival Stage) (Gebser):

[Aesthetic appreciation binds art with cosmic significance]

5.0 Construct Aware Parameters (O'Fallon): We are discovering the contours of our own individual awareness. We begin to discover there

Cross-Paradigmatic (Commons-Richards) / Late Vision-Logic (Wilber): Individuals can integrate and synthesize across different paradigms, leading to a more holistic and inclusive understanding of reality. This cross-paradigmatic thinking allows for a more nuanced and complex appreciation of the diverse ways of understanding and experiencing the world. Allows individuals to fit multiple paradigms together to form new fields.

Meta-Cross-Paradigmatic (Commons-Richards):

Dissolution of ego defenses for transcendent unity

Transpersonal Affects (Wilber): This stage marks the beginning of transpersonal or spiritual emotions, which transcend personal identity and are increasingly experienced as permanently available traits, rather than temporary and fleeting states. These include experiences such as awe, rapture, all-species love, and compassion. More subtle emotions can unfold at later stages, such as ananda (bliss), ecstasy, love-bliss, and a saintly commitment to higher principles or beings, followed by feelings of infinite freedom-release and bodhisattvic compassion (the desire to attain enlightenment for the sake of all beings). Finally, we can begin to stabilize non-dual awareness or 'one taste', where the distinction between self and other dissolves and the full spectrum of emotions are experienced as seamless features of our everpresent 

Ethics that include care for all sentient beings

Experience of oneness with the cosmos

Archetypal Gender Union (Tantra) (Wilber): A unification of masculine and feminine elements within the self, potentially incorporating spiritual or archetypal dimensions of gender.

Gender Transcendence (Wilber): Gender intelligence embodies a construct-aware consciousness that sees beyond the confines of the separate self and the societal constructs of gender identity. This stage heralds a profound shift to a global or holistic perspective, where the interconnectedness of all life is deeply understood, and individual gender expression is recognized as a unique manifestation of the universal dance of life. Individuals at this stage experience gender as a fluid and limitless aspect of their being that is interconnected with all aspects of existence.

Ego Integrity vs. Despair (late adulthood) (Erikson): In this stage, older adults reflect on their life and feel either a sense of satisfaction (integrity) or regret (despair) over their lived experiences and choices.

Holistic Self: At the Holistic Self stage, introspection encompasses awareness of awareness itself. Individuals can recognize and understand the interconnectedness of all perspectives and the fluid nature of the self within a larger field of consciousness. Introspective capacity includes real-time recognition of personal and external projections and the experience of the self as a process within a vast, interconnected whole.

Integral self-mastery, expressive of wholeness and integration

Transcendental Morality, or Morality of Cosmic Orientation (Kohlberg): Kohlberg only hypothesized this stage, where moral decisions are made from a perspective that transcends specific societal norms. It involves an understanding of the self as part of a larger cosmic order and might be guided by principles that are not fully comprehensible within the bounds of human experience or societal norms.

Self-Transcendence Needs (Maslow): Beyond self-actualization, self-transcendence focuses on connecting to something beyond the individual. This can involve a sense of oneness with the world, spiritual experiences, or working towards a higher purpose or cause that transcends personal needs and aspirations.

Integrated pleasures beyond ego gratification

Order 5 - Self-Transforming Mind (Kegan): Rarely achieved and typically not before mid-life, this stage involves a deep understanding of the complexity and interdependence of systems and perspectives. Individuals at this stage appreciate contradictions and paradoxes, can hold multiple viewpoints simultaneously, and understand the limitations of their own ideologies. Relationships are based on mutual growth and deep, authentic connection.

Construct-Aware (Cook-Greuter): Individuals become aware of the construction of reality and their role in co-creating it. There's an understanding of the limitations of language and symbols and a focus on the interdependence of all things.

Unitive (Cook-Greuter): This stage involves a profound sense of connectedness with all life and a transcendence of ego boundaries. The distinction between self and other becomes fluid, and there's often a deep commitment to the welfare of all beings.

Alchemist Action-Logic (Torbert): Alchemists focus on integrating material, spiritual, and societal transformation, aiming for societal well-being with a broad, long-term perspective. Their intelligence is holistic, integrating personal, organizational, and societal transformation. Their learning is transformative, engaging in deep introspection and using feedback for profound personal and societal change, which represents the pinnacle of leadership maturity.

Ironist Action-Logic (Torbert): Ironists represent the pinnacle of leadership maturity, characterized by an extraordinary depth of self-awareness and a profound understanding of the paradoxes and complexities of life. Their intelligence is marked by the ability to embrace and navigate contradictions and ambiguities, integrating diverse and often conflicting views and values. At the Ironist stage, learning is deeply transformative and meta-reflective. Individuals engage in an ongoing process of examining not only their actions and beliefs but also the underlying processes of their reflection and understanding. This stage involves a continuous synthesis of multiple perspectives, leading to a nuanced and holistic approach to personal and organizational growth. Ironists are adept at transformative leadership, inspiring change by recognizing deeper patterns and dynamics, and guiding others through complex transformations with a unique blend of wisdom, humility, and strategic insight.

Transcendent Vistas (Speculative): Cross-paradigmatic thinking, meta-awareness, and an awareness of the constructs of one's own perception come to the forefront. The fifth-person perspective and beyond allows for a contemplation of human existence and consciousness in the cosmic landscape. The understanding of space and time transcends traditional boundaries, considering broader implications of human existence and consciousness. Scientific models at this stage, such as the anthropic principle and the fine-tuning problem, challenge traditional scientific paradigms, encouraging a more holistic, integrated view of the universe that deeply considers the role of the observer in the observed reality.

Mystic-Communal Stage (Peck): The final stage of Peck's model is characterized by a sense of unity and connection with all beings. Individuals at this stage embrace paradox and complexity and often have a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of all things. They are less concerned with institutional structures and more focused on direct, personal spiritual experiences and communal living.

Holistic (Turquoise) (Graves/SD): The Holistic stage is characterized by global consciousness, holistic perspective, and a sense of unity with all life. It sees the world as an interconnected whole and is marked by a focus on global and universal perspectives. This stage integrates the insights of all previous stages, seeking to live in harmony with the earth and all its inhabitants. It is marked by a deep understanding of the interconnectedness and interdependence of all forms of life.

Universal Will (Speculative): Willpower is understood as part of a larger, interconnected system of consciousness. Actions are taken with a deep awareness of their impact on the global ecosystem, humanity, and future generations.

Transcendent Will (Speculative): At this level, willpower transcends personal or even global concerns and operates with an awareness of and connection to all of existence, past, present, and future. Self-regulation is deeply intuitive, aligned with a universal sense of purpose and being.