Human Development - ECLET
Emergent Coherence Layered Evolutionary Template
The Emergent Coherence Layered Evolutionary Template (ECLET) is an evolution of Clare W. Graves’ Emergent, Cyclical, Levels of Existence Theory, first published in 1970 in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, and later forming the basis for the book Spiral Dynamics: Mastering Values, Leadership and Change (Beck & Cowan, 1996).
ECLET maps the layered development of human consciousness across nine dynamic stages or layers, each characterised by distinct value systems, meaning-making capacities and moral codes. As shown in the image below, a quantum jump in consciousness occurs from Layer 6 (First Tier) to Layer 7 (Second Tier), resulting in an exponential increase in human coping capacity and complexity tolerance. As of 2025, this jump is in the early stages of emerging on a global scale and in the years ahead will change our world for the better.
Find out where you’re at!
Map your personal development with our ECLET Snapshot report, drawn from this nine-layer research based model. You’ll discover your dominant Layer, whether you’re stable or in transition, and receive customised recommendations for your future development. The ECLET Snapshot uses a combination of self-reporting and our unique Coherence Field Mapping. It includes a Zoom session with Steve McDonald to discuss your results and custom recommendations.
The Nine-Layer ECLET Model
Layer 9: Sovereign Presence — Universally coherent, crystalline alignment with integrated field intelligence.
Layer 8: Planetary Stewardship — Planetary focus, spiritually anchored, coherence seeking.
Layer 7: Systemic Integration — Transrational, seeks flow states, reintegrates shadow personality.
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Layer 6: Empathic Affiliation — Egalitarian, empathic, prioritises community & authenticity.
Layer 5: Strategic Agency — Success-driven, seeks progress, autonomy and rational control.
Layer 4: Moral Order — Rule-based, fixed hierarchy, seeks stability through obedience & moral code.
Layer 3: Egocentric Power — Egocentric, impulsive, identity formed through dominance and control.
Layer 2: Tribal Bond — Tradition-bound, kinship oriented, guided by ritual & ancestral knowledge.
Layer 1: Instinctive Survival — Reactive, instinctive, driven by immediate needs & physical safety.
Transition Between Layers
Human nature is an open, emergent system, continually changing and evolving in response to our life conditions. Transitions between layers are not linear, they spiral. A person may regress, compress or recycle within the layers, based on complexity, trauma or acceleration.
ECLET tracks transitional states using a five-phase Change Cycle:
1. Nodal Stability – Anchored in a dominant layer.
2. Stress – Emergence of dissonance and a regressive search to previous layers.
3. Chaos – Breakdown of existing worldview and identity structures.
4. Renewal – Entry into a new worldview with insight but instability.
5. New Nodal Stability – Integration and coherence at a higher layer.
