The current issue of Spirituality & Health has a brief introduction to Spiral Dynamics by (the article is not available online, so you'll have to buy a copy if you want to read it). The author also provides a quick self-test to determine where one might sit on the Spiral. In general, it's a useful tool for someone beginning to explore these ideas.
I scored pretty evenly across all the levels, except one -- the Law & Order stage. My sense is that the phrasing of the questions, rather there where I am values-wise, was at fault.
Here are the questions; the first two are meant to measure healthy manifestations of the stage, and the second two are meant to measure unhealthy manifestations. We are to rate our responses on a scale of 0 to 6, with 0 being "virtually never" and 6 being "virtually always."
1. To what extent are you orderly, disciplined, and rule-abiding?
2. Do you read and refer to the holy books of organized religion, and do those books provide firm guidance for your life? To what extent would people describe you as traditional?
3. Do you feel that our president and the government in general are worthy of respect and should be followed, even if many people say they are wrong?
4. Do you feel that your religion is truly connected to a higher power, and that this connection sometimes overrides other considerations?
I scored a 2 on this stage, while on the others I scored between 9 and 16.
The first question skewed me with the mention of rule-abiding. While this is a trait of this stage, it isn't necessarily a healthy trait.
A better phrasing for the first question might have been as follows: To what extent are you orderly, disciplined, and enjoy stability.
The second question skewed me with the part about the holy books providing guidance for my life, as well as the part about people considering me traditional. One can feel comfortable with this stage without following the scriptures of any specific holy book, and without being seen by others as traditional.
A better phrasing for the second question might have been as follows: Do you read and refer to the holy books of organized religion, and do those books provide useful information for your life? To what extent do you consider yourself motivated by choices of right and wrong?
I think if the questions had been phrased this way, I would have scored better than a 2 on this stage -- one that I think is important to my worldview.
Just thinking out loud.
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