What Ethos actually is
A structured interpretive system for identifying archetypal cultural traditions through cross-framework behavioral pattern analysis.
Not a personality test
Ethos doesn't classify you into personality types or diagnose traits. Instead, it identifies which archetypal tradition you most strongly align with — the framework through which you naturally perceive, decide, relate, and move through the world.
These archetypal traditions are expressed as Cultural Codes — each grounded in:
From “personality” to “lens”
- What traits do you have?
- What category do you belong to?
- What worldview do you naturally operate from?
- Which cultural logic feels intuitive to you?
People don’t just have traits — they live inside interpretive frameworks. Ethos maps those frameworks.
How the system works
Ethos integrates four established interpretive frameworks — not as truth-claims, but as pattern generators.
Behavioral tendencies — statistically grounded distributions for stability, energy, openness, regulation.
Cognitive preference axes — IE/SN/TF/JP treated as directional signals, not type identity.
Motivational gravity — detects why behaviors occur, focusing on coping styles and desire patterns.
Symbolic archetypal layer — element/modality provides mythic language, used non-deterministically.
Instead of mapping frameworks directly to codes, Ethos introduces a Pattern Abstraction Layer — the innovation that removes framework-specific bias and creates a shared behavioral language.
- Abstract thinking
- Sensory appreciation
- Pattern recognition
- Detail orientation
- Present-moment focus
- Craftsmanship drive
- Structure preference
- Improvisation comfort
- Pace preference
- Output orientation
- Emotional stability
- Expressiveness
- Environmental sensitivity
- Introspection depth
- Optimism baseline
- Social energy
- Group size preference
- Conflict navigation
- Influence drive
- Collaborative preference
- Tradition orientation
- Novelty seeking
- Stability seeking
- Meaning orientation
- Nature connection
Each of the 20 Cultural Codes defines:
This prevents “everyone fits everything” and ensures only behaviorally coherent matches appear.
You receive your top 3 Cultural Code matches (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary) with confidence scores (High ≥75%, Moderate 60–74%, Low <60%).
- You are from that culture
- You behave like a stereotype
- You are fixed or permanent
Why this is defensible
Ethos is:
- Psychology (Big Five, MBTI, Enneagram)
- Anthropology (cultural patterns)
- Cultural studies (archetypal theory)
- Clinical diagnosis
- Predictive certainty
- Biological determinism
Ethos operates as a structured interpretive system, not a medical or psychological instrument. It’s culturally informed self-knowledge, not fate.
Why this works
We don’t operate in isolation — we inherit and align with cultural logics.
Cultural traditions aren’t random — they represent coherent ways of being.
You gravitate toward frameworks that feel “right” to you.
Your lens impacts work satisfaction, social belonging, lifestyle harmony, and creative output.
That’s the entire point.
What Ethos is for
Discover the lens through which you naturally operate.
Find environments, activities, and rhythms that fit your lens.
Connect with others who share your cultural logic.
Understand your aesthetic and creative instincts.
Map team members’ lenses for better collaboration.
Identify work cultures that align with your worldview.