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Hierarchies exist across the human and natural world. Ecosystems, governments, anatomy, star systems, friendships, and organizations: everything can be viewed as a hierarchy. These systems are inherently relational, and can be understood better by seeing how their complexity compares to other kinds of hierarchies.
Use this model to map and compare how a human, artificial intelligence, or alien race interacts with the world—or to design societies and characters with unique cognitive limits and strengths.
The 16 Stages of Cognitive Complexity
| Stage | What They Do | How They Do It | End Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 – Calculatory | Exact computation only, no generalization | Human-made programs manipulate 0, 1, not 2 or 3. | Minimal human result. Unorganized machines (in Turing's sense) act in a way analogous to this stage. |
| 1 – Automatic | Engage in a single "hard-wired" action at a time, no respondent conditioning | Respond, as a simple mechanism, to a single environmental stimulus | Single celled organisms respond to a single stimulus in a way analogous to this stage |
| 2 – Sensory or Motor | Discriminate in a rote fashion, stimuli generalization, move | Move limbs, lips, toes, eyes, elbows, head; view objects or move | Discriminative establishing and conditioned reinforcing stimuli |
| 3 – Circular Sensory-Motor | Form open-ended proper classes | Reach, touch, grab, shake objects, circular babble | Open ended proper classes, phonemes, archiphonemes |
| 4 – Sensory-Motor | Form concepts | Respond to stimuli in a class successfully and non-stochastically | Morphemes, concepts |
| 5 – Nominal | Find relations among concepts | Use names for objects and other utterances as successful commands | Single words: ejaculatives & exclamations, verbs, nouns, number names, letter names |
| 6 – Sentential | Imitate and acquire sequences; follow short sequential acts | Generalize match-dependent task actions; chain words | Various forms of pronouns: subject (I), object (me), possessive adjective (my), possessive pronoun (mine), and reflexive (myself) for various persons (I, you, he, she, it, we, y'all, they) |
| 7 – Preoperational | Make simple deductions; follow lists of sequential acts; tell stories | Count events and objects; connect the dots; combine numbers and simple propositions | Connectives: as, when, then, why, before; products of simple operations |
| 8 – Primary | Simple logical deduction and empirical rules involving time sequence; simple arithmetic | Adds, subtracts, multiplies, divides, counts, proves, does series of tasks on own | Times, places, counts acts, actors, arithmetic outcome, sequence from calculation |
| 9 – Concrete | Carry out full arithmetic, form cliques, plan deals | Does long division, short division, follows complex social rules, ignores simple social rules, takes and coordinates perspective of other and self | Interrelations, social events, what happened among others, reasonable deals, history, geography |
| 10 – Abstract | Discriminate variables such as stereotypes; logical quantification; (none, some, all) | Form variables out of finite classes; make and quantify propositions | Variable time, place, act, actor, state, type; quantifiers (all, none, some); categorical assertions (e.g., "We all die") |
| 11 – Formal | Argue using empirical or logical evidence; logic is linear, 1-dimensional | Solve problems with one unknown using algebra, logic and empiricism | Relationships (e.g., causality) are formed out of variables; words: linear, logical, one-dimensional, if then, thus, therefore, because; correct scientific solutions |
| 12 – Systematic | Construct multivariate systems and matrices | Coordinate more than one variable as input; consider relationships in contexts. | Events and concepts situated in a multivariate context; systems are formed out of relations; systems: legal, societal, corporate, economic, national |
| 13 – Metasystematic | Construct multi-systems and metasystems out of disparate systems | Create metasystems out of systems; compare systems and perspectives; name properties of systems: e.g. homomorphic, isomorphic, complete, consistent, commensurable | Metasystems and supersystems are formed out of systems of relationships, e.g. contracts and promises |
| 14 – Paradigmatic | Fit metasystems together to form new paradigms; show "incomplete" or "inconsistent" aspects of metasystems | Synthesize metasystems | Paradigms are formed out of multiple metasystems |
| 15 – Cross-paradigmatic | Fit paradigms together to form new fields | Form new fields by crossing paradigms, e.g. evolutionary biology + developmental biology = evolutionary developmental biology | New fields are formed out of multiple paradigms |
| 16 – Meta-cross-paradigmatic (performative-recursive) | Reflect on various properties of cross-paradigmatic operations | Explicate the dynamics of, and limitations of, cross-paradigmatic thinking | The dynamics and limitations of cross-paradigmatic thinking are explained as they are recursively enacted |
Stage
0 – Calculatory
What They Do
Exact computation only, no generalization
How They Do It
Human-made programs manipulate 0, 1, not 2 or 3.
End Result
Minimal human result. Unorganized machines (in Turing's sense) act in a way analogous to this stage.
Stage
1 – Automatic
What They Do
Engage in a single "hard-wired" action at a time, no respondent conditioning
How They Do It
Respond, as a simple mechanism, to a single environmental stimulus
End Result
Single celled organisms respond to a single stimulus in a way analogous to this stage
Stage
2 – Sensory or Motor
What They Do
Discriminate in a rote fashion, stimuli generalization, move
How They Do It
Move limbs, lips, toes, eyes, elbows, head; view objects or move
End Result
Discriminative establishing and conditioned reinforcing stimuli
Stage
3 – Circular Sensory-Motor
What They Do
Form open-ended proper classes
How They Do It
Reach, touch, grab, shake objects, circular babble
End Result
Open ended proper classes, phonemes, archiphonemes
Stage
4 – Sensory-Motor
What They Do
Form concepts
How They Do It
Respond to stimuli in a class successfully and non-stochastically
End Result
Morphemes, concepts
Stage
5 – Nominal
What They Do
Find relations among concepts
How They Do It
Use names for objects and other utterances as successful commands
End Result
Single words: ejaculatives & exclamations, verbs, nouns, number names, letter names
Stage
6 – Sentential
What They Do
Imitate and acquire sequences; follow short sequential acts
How They Do It
Generalize match-dependent task actions; chain words
End Result
Various forms of pronouns: subject (I), object (me), possessive adjective (my), possessive pronoun (mine), and reflexive (myself) for various persons (I, you, he, she, it, we, y'all, they)
Stage
7 – Preoperational
What They Do
Make simple deductions; follow lists of sequential acts; tell stories
How They Do It
Count events and objects; connect the dots; combine numbers and simple propositions
End Result
Connectives: as, when, then, why, before; products of simple operations
Stage
8 – Primary
What They Do
Simple logical deduction and empirical rules involving time sequence; simple arithmetic
How They Do It
Adds, subtracts, multiplies, divides, counts, proves, does series of tasks on own
End Result
Times, places, counts acts, actors, arithmetic outcome, sequence from calculation
Stage
9 – Concrete
What They Do
Carry out full arithmetic, form cliques, plan deals
How They Do It
Does long division, short division, follows complex social rules, ignores simple social rules, takes and coordinates perspective of other and self
End Result
Interrelations, social events, what happened among others, reasonable deals, history, geography
Stage
10 – Abstract
What They Do
Discriminate variables such as stereotypes; logical quantification; (none, some, all)
How They Do It
Form variables out of finite classes; make and quantify propositions
End Result
Variable time, place, act, actor, state, type; quantifiers (all, none, some); categorical assertions (e.g., "We all die")
Stage
11 – Formal
What They Do
Argue using empirical or logical evidence; logic is linear, 1-dimensional
How They Do It
Solve problems with one unknown using algebra, logic and empiricism
End Result
Relationships (e.g., causality) are formed out of variables; words: linear, logical, one-dimensional, if then, thus, therefore, because; correct scientific solutions
Stage
12 – Systematic
What They Do
Construct multivariate systems and matrices
How They Do It
Coordinate more than one variable as input; consider relationships in contexts.
End Result
Events and concepts situated in a multivariate context; systems are formed out of relations; systems: legal, societal, corporate, economic, national
Stage
13 – Metasystematic
What They Do
Construct multi-systems and metasystems out of disparate systems
How They Do It
Create metasystems out of systems; compare systems and perspectives; name properties of systems: e.g. homomorphic, isomorphic, complete, consistent, commensurable
End Result
Metasystems and supersystems are formed out of systems of relationships, e.g. contracts and promises
Stage
14 – Paradigmatic
What They Do
Fit metasystems together to form new paradigms; show "incomplete" or "inconsistent" aspects of metasystems
How They Do It
Synthesize metasystems
End Result
Paradigms are formed out of multiple metasystems
Stage
15 – Cross-paradigmatic
What They Do
Fit paradigms together to form new fields
How They Do It
Form new fields by crossing paradigms, e.g. evolutionary biology + developmental biology = evolutionary developmental biology
End Result
New fields are formed out of multiple paradigms
Stage
16 – Meta-cross-paradigmatic (performative-recursive)
What They Do
Reflect on various properties of cross-paradigmatic operations
How They Do It
Explicate the dynamics of, and limitations of, cross-paradigmatic thinking
End Result
The dynamics and limitations of cross-paradigmatic thinking are explained as they are recursively enacted
Checklist: Using Cognitive Stages in Your Story or World
- What is the highest stage reached by your character, group, or society?
- How do cognitive limits create conflict, misunderstanding, or opportunity?
- What would it take for a leap to the next stage?
- How do these stages interact with your world’s technology, magic, or social structure?
- Are there “forbidden” or rare stages in your setting?
How to Use These Stages in Stories & Worlds
- Map a character’s or society’s arc by moving them through stages (e.g., from concrete to abstract thinking).
- Use different stages for different characters, species, or factions to create conflict and variety.
- Show how a leap to a new stage changes relationships, technology, or worldview.
- Let setbacks and regressions be part of the arc—development is rarely linear.
- Combine stages for complex, layered societies (e.g., a world where AIs, humans, and aliens each operate at different levels).
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