Inspired by Ken Wilbur’s Integral Theory, the think tank called The Emergence Project created the above model.

The four quadrants represent these four metastructures: 

• Memetic Structure (I = individual subjective): Human Values, Beliefs, Meaning, Orienting Stories and Narratives, Worldview, Identity, Definition of success
• Physiologic Structure (IT = individual objective): Behavioral Influencers — Nutrition, Neurochemistry / Neurobiology, Endocrinology, Epigenetics, Toxicity, Nutrition
• Social Structure (WE = collective intersubjective):  Economics, Governance, Law
• Infrastructure (ITS = collective interobjective): Modes of production: Energy, Agriculture, Transportation, Energy Generation, Water, Building Technology, Waste Management

All factors that condition human behavior live in these quadrants. Each of the quadrants is fundamental and irreducible with respect to the others, so these categories are both necessary and sufficient for inventorying all sources of human conditioning.  

The metastructures co-evolve and co-influence each other in complex ways, and must all be factored together to effectively evolve society. Most social philosophies have emphasized one of these areas as fundamental, leading to projects focused in that area to the exclusion of the others. Such a reductionist orientation is simply inadequate for systems as complex and interconnected as human society and the biosphere.

Below are examples of metastructure shifts, by category. Note that these do not include all design criteria.