The following page, written in the early 1960s, reveal some of Dr. Graves thinking as he conducted his research and developed the Levels of Existence Theory.

[list continued from previous page]

  1. The human organism becomes a different person at each of these levels. Among other things he has different needs, different attitudes, different ways of perceiving the world, different ways of reacting open to him, different ways of transacting with the world open to him, different ethical systems, etc. (See previous classifications – point 12).

  2. The different behavioral levels naturally vary in strength. One person may be more prone to negative experience from neglect or interference with his tendencies at one level than at some other level.

  3. The behavioral systems emerge into dominance at different periods in time, in an ordered sequential manner.

  4. There is no guarantee that subsequent levels of behavior will emerge.

  5. Once a level is attained regression is possible and probably under certain circumstances at least through the first five levels of behavior.

  6. Behaviors of the first five levels are those which the human holds more or less in common with lower animals.

  7. Behaviors of levels six and beyond are behaviors uncommon to animals.

  8. These are general principles which describe the overall relationship of the levels of behavior to one another.

          Some of the principles are:

    1. Lower order behavior takes precedence until worked through.

    2. As lower order behavior is worked through, higher order behavior naturally emerges.

    3. Higher level behavior, if then present, operates in the service of lower behavior as long as lower level behavior is not worked through.

    4. When lower level behaviors are worked through they become aides de camp for higher level behavior.

    5. A minimum of three levels of behavior operate at any one time.

    6. The organizing behavioral forces are the lowest level un-worked through needs of any moment in time.

    7. If a human is unable to move to a higher level he will attempt to actualize self at a lower level.

    8. The higher the level of behavior the more pre-conditions must be met before it appears.

    9. The higher level of behavior requires better conditions (economic, familial, political, educational, etc.) to emerge.

    10. The higher the level of behavior the more it can be postponed.

    11. The higher the level of behavior the more it can appear not to be a behavioral possibility.

    12. As one moves from lower to higher levels some behavior is discarded, some modified and some new behaviors emerge.

    13. Each level of behavioral living has principles operating which are specific to it.

21. These principles lead to certain conclusions.

    1. To understand the behavior of a person or persons we must determine where the major flow of energy is.
    2. To work with the behavior of any person we must:

    1. Know the theory.

    2. Know how to determine levels.

    3. Know the principles of operation of each level.

    4. Create ways of working people at each level consonant with the principles

    5. Accept that as soon as we have successfully worked with humans they will change and require us to create new ways of working with them.

    1. Living at a higher level means greater biological efficiency, greater productive potential if managed properly.

    2. Higher level behavior brings more profound happiness, serenity, richness of inner life - - a person more willing to produce.

    3. Movement to higher level represents a trend away from the need to external dependency and external control.

<<back  | 5 |


Copyright 2001 NVC Consulting