The six levels that define behavior.

Gregory Bateson defined six neurolocigal levels leading to and influencing human behavior. When attempting to change certain behavior, the correct level needs to be addressed.

Environment

"Who is doing what, where and when?"

The full context of a persons life. Everything that the person perceives outside of themselves: other people, animals, plants, weather, housing, food, etc.

Behavior

"What am I doing? What is my visible behavior?"

The things a person does and the reactions that occur with other people in their environment that influence their behavior.

Strategies

"How do I do it?"

Plans, ideas and steps whose sequence generate behavior and lead a person to their goals. Skills and talents are applied at this level.

Beliefs

"What am I doing this for? What inner rules influence my behavior?"

Beliefs are associations in our minds that create meaning: generalisations about causes and limits of life, the world, our behavior, our skills and our roles within. They can be positive or negative, conscious or subconscious. They are convictions that a person perceives as absolute and true. Beliefs manifest during different points in life, they equate to reality and are rarely scrutinized.

A -> B = Rules

If you loved me, then you would eat garlic.

A = B = Role Models

People/Men/Women/Parents are people who ...

Sentences using must/should/may often hint towards a person's beliefs.

Values

"Why am I doing this? What is important to me in life?"

Values give our live a direction and point to the goal we are heading towards. They are the driving factors for why something is deemed worthwhile or important.
To shape our future and to make the present meaningful and worth living, it is imperative to know our values.

Purpose

"Why am I here? What is my purpose?"

The soul is an individuals' resonance frequency. It defines the personality and determines if life is deemed meaningful.
Ideally, we "oscilliate" at this frequence in every moment of our lives and in every relationship.
To be in resonance means to be in unison with one's environment. In some cultures this is referred to as the divine spark that is filled by an endless source of energy.

Links