Graves, Claire

Claire Graves (1914–1986) was a professor of psychology at Union College from 1948 to 1978. He developed a sociobiological theory of human development that emphasized an individual's need to solve specific problems or answer specific questions at a given developmental level. Dr. Graves felt that different ways of thinking about and explaining the observable world was embedded in the neural structure of all human beings, and environmental events specific to each individual give rise to different “levels of existence.” He saw psychological functioning as an emergent, unfolding process marked by a progressive subordination of lower-level behavior systems to higher-level behavior systems according to the changes in that person's existential problems. Therefore, each individual interprets the observable world based upon the paradigm associated with his or her developmental level. In essence, everybody is “wired” for all levels of existence but functions primarily at that level related to his or her personal life events and situation. For educational leaders, the work of Graves relates to leadership theory, conflict resolution, interpersonal relationships, instructional design, management, and motivation.

Graves was skeptical of paper-and-pencil tests as a means for evaluating individual psychological functioning. Observation that examined a person's lifestyle, dress, and preferences was the preferred means of evaluation. For Graves, observable behavior was a reflection of those problems of existence people were attempting to solve and therefore a reflection of their personal level of existence. Once the level of existence had been determined, a method of teaching or managing an individual could be developed and implemented.

Graves described the most common levels of existence as being related to emotional states and thereby embedded in structures located in the limbic system of the human brain where emotions reside. Graves saw the brain as an evolutionary sandwich, with the cerebral cortex stacked on top of the limbic system. Upperlevel structures were located in the cortex and involved rational, logical thought. Each level of existence has its own motivating value and manner of effective learning. While Graves saw no level as being inherently “better” than another, he felt that the upper levels of existence were most conducive to effective individual, group, and cultural functioning.

Graves emphasized differential management and motivation of persons depending on their individual functional level of existence. His perspective was that each individual should be approached and engaged within the framework of his or her personal worldview and value system. He felt that motivation and management were best accomplished by providing people with those things they valued and by creating dissonant events that could facilitate movement to more advanced levels of functioning.

Graves's theory of sociobiological development has been applied to problems in business, medicine, education, industry, mental health, and international relations. Its greatest applicability in the field of education relates to human resource development, conflict resolution, and leadership and leadership styles in creating positive organizational culture and facilitating optimum organizational functioning. In addition, as each level of existence learns most effectively in a specific manner, Graves's theory has application to the individualization of instruction and instructional design.

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