Psychosocial Pressures

Single or Dual

It has been proposed and tentatively accepted that for both Primary Structural Hierarchies and Spiral Structural Hierarchies, each grouping has a characteristic psychosocial pressure as shown at right i.e. this pattern is based on structure.

A similar pattern appears to apply in relation to at least two Q-Structural Hierarchies:

■ informed pragmatism PH'2Q1sH,
■ functioning in a school of philosophy PH'5Q5sH

which strongly suggests general applicability.

It therefore seems likely that this pattern of pressures based on structure will apply to groupings in PH'6Q4sH. However, investigation to further establish the validity of this pattern is desirable and it is commenced below.

However, in the investigation of Q expansions, two psychosocial pressures appeared to be in play.

The primary pressure related to the identity (or structure) of the Q-arena. and a secondary pressure related to the operation of the Q-arena.

Secondary pressures have never been considered for structural hierarchies.
Is it possible that a secondary pressure based on operating groups in the groupings also applies? This possibility is also investigated below.

Investigation

Note: Click the thumbnails to be reminded of the group within the grouping.

G1: Serving Self-Interest

Autonomy is the natural structural pressure given the requirement to serve self-interest. Without autonomy, it is hard to know how self-affirmation could operate effectively.

However, in terms of operating the component groups, autonomous choices for benefit appear to be driven by a reflex striving for understanding, without which almost nothing can be achieved.

Other possibilities:Closed The activity is too important to be controlled by well-being; certainty is impractical; acceptability is inappropriate; selflessness would be contradictory; and performance is not being judged.

G2: Organising Risk-taking

Understanding is the natural structural pressure because to take risks without knowing what they are would be self-destructive.

However, in terms of operating the component groups, it seems that a proper understanding requires follow through via performance and effective execution.

Other possibilities:Closed  Autonomy is relevant but it will be relevant everywhere; certainty would prevent risk-taking; acceptabilityseems inappropriate; selflessness would not be helpful; and well-being is not the issue.

G3: Handling Exposure

Performance is the natural structural pressure given the focus is speaking up in a way that seeks to be effective and can withstand being criticized and judged by others.

However, in terms of operating the component groups, it seems that you can only perform well if certainty provides the necessary support.

Other possibilities:Closed  Autonomy is relevant but it will be relevant in this way everywhere; understanding is taken for granted; acceptability is the opposite of what drives you; selflessness does not fit something so personal; and well-being is irrelevant.

G4: Managing Exchanges

Certainty is the natural structural pressure when navigating markets, hierarchies, networks and core groups and engaging in exchanges.

However, in terms of operating the component groups, it seems that certainty has to be complemented by acceptability of the exchange, of those on the other side, and generally of the working of market, hierarchy, network or core group.

Other possibilities:Closed  Autonomy is relevant but it will be relevant everywhere; performance is not the issue; understandingis not applicable because all the systems are far too complex and what drives the other parties cannot be known; selflessness would not help you get what you want; and well-being is irrelevant.

G5: Exerting Influence

Acceptability is the natural structural pressure because you cannot influence anyone if you do not take great care to ensure others will accept you and what you have to say. At same time, whatever you do or say must be acceptable in your own eyes.

However, in terms of operating the component groups, it seems that acceptability requires to be further bolstered by well-being because you must be comfortable and you need to ensure other parties are comfortable too and do not react against your biases and refuse to be persuaded.

Other possibilities:Closed  Autonomy is relevant but it will be relevant everywhere; certainty would be counter-productive; performance could apply here but does not seem so crucial; understanding is not the primary issue; and selflessness cannot apply here because selfish interest are in play.

G6: Maintaining Affluence

Well-Being is the natural structural pressure because wealth is about maintaining your standard of living and the comforts it provides.

However, in terms of operating the component groups, it seems that well-being depends on the application of selflessness in your approach to circumstances because neither good luck or misfortune should be taken personally.

Other possibilities:Closed  Performance is not the immediate requirement; certainty is not required; acceptability is inappropriate; autonomy can only come into play after dispassionate awareness; and understanding is not the issue.

G7: Releasing Aspirations

Selflessness is the natural structural pressure in relation to aspirations, which needs to be something innately within you to which you respond. Aspirations driven by envy or greed are likely to be harmful to yourself and others.

However, in terms of operating your aspirations, the component group, it seems that selflessness requires autonomy because you need to own your ambitions and find ways to nourish and ultimately realize them by responding to autonomy as the primary pressure at G1 (as explained above).

Other possibilities:Closed  acceptability is relevant as usual but is taken for granted; certainty is impossible and distracting; understanding of how ambitions work out is not possible; performance does not fit; and well-being is not the issue.

Comparison

The pattern that has been identified above is shown in this Table:

sH-G 1° Structural
Pressure
(Grouping)		 2° Operating Pressure 
(Groups)
G7 Selflessness Autonomy
G6 Well-Being Selflessness
G5 Acceptability Well-Being
G4 Certainty Acceptability
G3 Performance Certainty
G2 Understanding Performance
G1 Autonomy Understanding

We can compare this to the provisional pattern found for Q-arenas, which is shown below:

Arena 1° Identity
Pressure		 2° Operating Pressure 
Q7 Selflessness Acceptability
Q6 Autonomy Well-Being
Q5 Understanding Autonomy
Q4 Well-Being Selflessness
Q3 Acceptability Certainty
Q2 Certainty Performance
Q1 Performance Understanding

It is evident, but perhaps difficult to see immediately, that the pairings of pressures are reversed or identical in 4 places e.g.

G2-understanding-performance is reversed as Q1-performance understanding;
G3-performance-certainty is reversed as Q2-certainty-performance;
G4-certainty-acceptability is reversed as Q3-acceptability-certainty,
G6-well-being-selflessness is identical to Q4-well-being-selflessness

The comparison is shown below: 3 reversed items (blue), 1 identical item (green), 3 unrelated G items (orange) and 3 unrelated Q-items (violet).

sH-G 1° Structural-G
2° Operating-Q 
 2° Operating-G
1° Identity-Q		 Arena
G7 Selflessness Autonomy  
  Acceptability Selflessness Q7
  Well-Being Autonomy Q6
  Autonomy Understanding Q5
G6 Well-Being Selflessness  
  Selflessness Well-Being Q4
G5 Acceptability Well-Being  
G4 Certainty Acceptability Q3
G3 Performance Certainty Q2
G2 Understanding Performance Q1
G1 Autonomy Well-Being  

It is not clear whether these patterns have any practical or taxonomic significance at this stage of investigation.

Conclusion

Confirmation of the structural pressures was expected. However, investigating operating pressures is new.

Further research on these matters will take place in the Architecture Room in due course. The priority task is to confirm the presence and ordering of operating pressures in structural hierarchies.

Originally posted:  10-July-2025. Last amended: 5-Apr-2026