Axiology - the science of your personal values

Your personal values determine what matters to you most, and every choice you make has a ‘value decision’ inside of it. When you get bothered or angry, it is often because a core value has been dishonored. Fear could also be in play in these moments, but it’s not a complete picture without understanding your values.

The science of Axiology, which forms the foundation of the 12 Shapes System, tells us there are three core value systems and that we each value all of them, albeit to differing degrees. Your Shape is based on the value systems you tend to overvalue. This is important to understand because you value all three systems, but you do not ‘overvalue’ them all.

Overvaluing something means you might value it over other things that might be equally or even more important. You might subconsciously focus on one thing so much that you neglect or undervalue something else. If you overvalue cleanliness and organization, you might get impatient and even harsh with someone who leaves a mess in the house, which means you overvalued order and undervalued another person’s feelings. If you overvalue connection with people, you might spend work time connecting with people instead of working. There is nothing wrong or bad about your value system and overvaluing certain things. It is simply important to remember it may be different from other people’s value systems.

Your unique system has pros and cons, and so does everyone else’s. The problem is we usually tend to believe that our value system is the right one, and everyone else is wrong. When other people don’t value the things you value, you might feel unsafe around them or see them as a threat, and this could even make you justify bad behavior towards them.For example, if you value cleanliness and your partner doesn’t, you might feel justified being impatient and even unkind to them about their messes; however, you are dishonoring their value system the same way they are dishonoring yours.

We must remember we all have the right to be wired differently and value different things, without being less or wrong. As you learn about the 12 Shapes, you will see that the world needs everyone and their different values.

The Three Core Value Systems:

• People    (Intrinsic)

• Tasks/Things    (Extrinsic)

• Concepts    (Systemic)

  
  

The three value systems are known in Axiology as the Intrinsic, Extrinsic, and Systemic, but it’s easier to think of them as People, Tasks/Things, and Concepts. On the Shapes Chart, you will see that the three value systems form both axes on the chart. This is because each Shape has a combination of things they overvalue. Remember, they are listed by what they overvalue, not by what they value. Each Shape values everything to some degree.

Here are a couple of examples: Hearts only overvalue People, which means they can sometimes undervalue Tasks/Things and Concepts. Triangles overvalue Concepts and sometimes neglect people. Squares, Diamonds, and Octagons are special Polygonal Shapes that overvalue all three systems. These are people who experience a lot of stress, which can be very intense because they overvalue everything. Below is an explanation of each value system.

The People Value System

The People value system is about overvaluing the Intrinsic level, which includes everything that is irreplaceable and infinite in value. People are at the top of this list, but it also includes animals, nature, the earth, music and art, feelings, and spiritual experiences.All the Shapes that overvalue People are sensitive to feelings and need a great deal of connection to feel secure in the world. They are often committed to having good relationships, but they can still struggle to create them because they can be anxiously attached, insecure, or stubborn. This means they could be needy, clingy, emotional, or dramatic when they are unbalanced (in fear). Each of the Shapes that overvalues People, however, does so in a different way. Some overvalue emotional connection, and others overvalue helping people in the world. It is important to remember, therefore, that there are differences in the ways they overvalue, even within each system.People in this category fulfill important roles in the world, such as caregivers, therapists, artists, activists, and healers. The Shapes that overvalue People are Hearts, Circles, Ovals, Stars, and Crosses, along with the three Polygonal Shapes.

The Tasks/Things Value System

The Tasks/Things value system is about valuing the Extrinsic level in Axiology. This is a huge category and includes everything you can measure, touch, hold, do, and experience. It also includes your appearance and money. There is a huge variety in how overvaluing this system can manifest itself. Some of the Shapes that overvalue the Extrinsic tend to overvalue experiences, while others overvalue things. Some value hobbies, and others overvalue their work. Some overvalue how they look, or they may focus a lot on creating and building things. Some of these Shapes overvalue cleanliness and taking care of things, while others overvalue experiences and may neglect their things. Each of the Shapes that overvalues Tasks/Things does so in a different way.These people are often doers and hard-working. They find safety and self-esteem from the things they do and have. They might like time alone to focus on their work, hobbies, or projects. The world needs people who are like this to build, create, produce, and make things happen. These people are often artists, actors, builders, creators, businesspeople, and scientists. The Shapes that overvalue Tasks/Things are Stars, Arrows, Rectangles, Circles, and Rhombuses, along with the three Polygonal Shapes.

The Concepts Value System

The Concepts value system is about overvaluing the Systemic level in Axiology. Systemic things are the things that exist inside our heads, including our thoughts, ideas, opinions, and beliefs, but also laws, rules, systems, structures, and order. Just like with the other value systems, each of the Shapes that overvalues Concepts does so in a different way. Some people in this category are very disciplined, organized, and detail-oriented. Others love ideas, learning, and education. Some are rule-keepers, and others have very strong opinions about everything. Some can put rules or systems before people or have a strong need to be right. Some are good at logistics and figuring out systems and processes.The world needs people who are like this to be teachers, scientists, organizers, policemen, soldiers, and rule-makers. The world wouldn’t run without them. The Shapes that overvalue Concepts are Ovals, Rectangles, Triangles, Crosses, and Rhombuses, along with the three Polygonal Shapes.

Now that you understand the basics of the three value systems, notice that most Shapes overvalue more than one thing. Circles overvalue both People and Tasks/Things. They need lots of connection with people and lots of experiences and love doing things. Ovals overvalue People and Concepts. Octagons, Diamonds, and Squares are Polygonal and literally overvalue all three things, but with some emphasis on one. As you read about each Shape, you will begin to understand how their unique value systems combination impacts their behavior.

The Polygonal Shapes

Polygonal means multidimensional. While these people (Octagons, Diamonds, and Squares) each have one thing they overvalue most, they also overvalue everything else to some degree. This can make them a little more stressed, opinionated, and to some degree intense about their relationships, tasks, things, and ideas. They can sometimes be tortured by over-thinking, which can make them anxious, but they can also be extremely talented and high achievers. These three Shapes are also what we call the Trauma Shapes, because people can sometimes become Polygonal through trauma. It is important to remember that some of their out-of-balance, fear behavior is often trauma response behavior. These Shapes are usually fear of loss dominant (but not always) and they often get triggered when things don’t feel right or safe. These people can be high achievers who excel at everything or in an unbalanced, fear state, they can be very difficult to get along with.

But it is important to remind you again that there are not bad or better Shapes. All the Shapes have the same value. They are just wired differently. The goal is to understand ourselves and others, so we can understand what drives behavior and have more compassion and appreciation for our differences. So, it’s not bad or good to be a Polygonal Shape. It’s just different.

This is what makes the 12 Shapes so powerful. Your Shape gives you the information you have always needed to really understand yourself and others. Armed with this knowledge, you can give others what they need, make them feel safer, and understand what’s really happening when they are bothered or upset because it is always tied to their fears and values.

To discover your Shape, visit our website 12shapes.com and take the quiz. It doesn’t take long, and most people find it very interesting. Note: We are sometimes unconscious of some of our behaviors, so you may want to consider having a friend or family member present to make sure you are answering accurately. Be as honest as possible about your behavior, and make sure you aren’t choosing the answers for the person you want to be, but the person you really are most of the time.

There is also a version of the quiz parents can take to determine the Shape of their smaller children. Knowing the people closest to you by Shape is going to make getting along with them much easier.