Thus one area of possible further research is in determining more accurately words or characteristics of behavior which is associated with the hypothesized levels. More adequate means of operationally defining the various levels is needed so as to account for such individuals as those who scored in the middle ranges of the Dogmatism and Rigidity Scales. Continued work is operationally defining and experimentally validating various aspects of Level Theory will thus contribute to a greater appreciation and understanding of human behavior. 

SUMMARY

This experiment seeks to determine if a test of perceptual readiness will demonstrate behavior associated with certain of Graves’ hypothesized Levels of Existence. Operational definitions of the Levels were obtained by the subject’s score on a test for dogmatism and rigidity within the personality. It was then predicted that subjects whose behavior indicated the presence of a particular level would perceive words representing the dominant ethical and motivational components of that level quicker than the words representing other levels.

Upon tachistoscopic presentation of the words, subjects hypothesized to be at a particular level perceived the words of that level quicker than those of other levels. A chi-square test of independence indicates, at a high level of confidence, that the association between the hypothesized level of S and his time of recognition is not random.

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