Introducing Two Simple Quadrant Models of U.S. Society

To develop new strategies effectively bridging differences between people, we must look at core values and beliefs and the patterns their combinations create in American society. The IOOW-2000 research produced the following dimensions used to create general quadrant-style models that provide a solid overview of society, and aid in identifying and comparing different worldviews (paradigms) in society as measured by various scales or indexes.

These models compare scales and indexes to one another, or to individual items. The quadrants also lend themselves to displaying data in a visually intuitive manner. In this context, two x-y quadrant models are introduced:

• Positive Future-Cooperative Integrative (PFCI) scale

by

• Social Material Stress (SMS) scale

...and a variation

• Positive Future-Cooperative Integrative (PFCI) scale

by

• Social Traditional-Religious Conservative (STRC) index

The first quadrant model employs the Positive Future-Cooperative Integrative (PFCI) scale as its vertical axis. In general, the PFCI scale measures people's sense of connection to society and life, forgiveness, openness to diversity, and identification with social and spiritual awakening.

A second axis called the Social Material Stress (SMS) scale measures people's sense of disconnection from society, concerns with getting by day to day, reporting of emotional problems, and a generally pessimistic view of the future.