Tests

Characteristics of Self-Actualization Scale (CSAS)

The 30-item Characteristics of Self-Actualization Scale (CSAS) was developed to bring the concept of self-actualization so frequently discussed by the founding humanistic psychologists into the 21st century. Grounded in Abraham Maslow’s original writings on the characteristics of self-actualizing people, the CSAS measures 10 facets of self-actualization: (1) Continued freshness of appreciation, (2) Acceptance, (3) Authenticity, (4) Equanimity, (5) Purpose, (6) Truth Seeking, (7) Humanitarianism, (8) Peak Experiences, (9) Good Moral intuition, and (10) Creative Spirit.

Reference: Kaufman, S.B. (2018). Self-Actualizing people in the 21st century: Integration with Contemporary Research on Personality and Well-Being. Journal of Humanistic Psychology.

Light vs. Dark Side of the Force Test

The 12-item Light Triad Scale (LTS) is a first draft measure of a loving and beneficent orientation toward others (“everyday saints”). The scale consists of three facets: Kantianism (treating people as ends unto themselves), Humanism (valuing the dignity and worth of each individual), and Faith in Humanity (believing in the fundamental goodness of humans). Across four demographically diverse samples (N = 1,518), the LTS demonstrated excellent reliability and validity, predicting life satisfaction and a wide range of growth-oriented and self-transcendent outcomes above and beyond existing measures of personality.

Reference: Kaufman, S.B., Yaden, D.B., Hyde, E., & Tsukayama, E. (2019). The Light vs. Dark triad of personality: Contrasting two very different profiles of human nature. Frontiers in Psychology.

Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S)

Awe is a complex emotion composed of an appraisal of vastness and a need for accommodation. The Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S) is a robust state measure of awe, based on the extant experimental literature. The scale includes 6 factors: altered time perception, self-diminishment, connectedness, perceived vastness, physical sensations, and need for accommodation.

Reference: Yaden, D.B., Kaufman, S.B., Hyde, E., Chirico, A., Gaggioli, A., Wei Zhang, J., & Keltner, D. (2018). The development of the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S): A multifactorial measure for a complex emotion. The Journal of Positive Psychology.

Healthy Selfishness Scale (HSS)

This 12-item scale measures the extent to which a person has healthy respect for their own health, growth, happiness, joy, and freedom. This scale was developed based on the writings of the humanistic thinkers Erich Fromm and Abraham Maslow on healthy self-love. Across two samples totaling 1261 participants, healthy selfishness was positively correlated with higher levels of psychological well-being, adaptive psychological functioning, and paradoxically, a genuine prosocial orientation toward others.

Reference: Kaufman, S.B., & Jauk, E. (2020). Healthy Selfishness and Pathological Altruism: Measuring Two Paradoxical Forms of Selfishness. Frontiers in Psychology.

Healthy Personality Scale (HPS)

What basic personality traits characterize the psychologically healthy individual? The Healthy Personality Scale measures healthy personality functioning based on an analysis of existing items on the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R). Those scoring high on the Healthy Personality Scale are more likely to have good self-regulatory skills, have an optimistic outlook on the world, and have a clear and stable self-view. They are also more likely to be low in aggression and meanness, are unlikely to exploit others, are relatively immune to stress, and are more self-sufficient.

References: Bleidorn, W., Hopwood, C.J., Ackerman, R.A., Witt, E.A., Kandler, C., Riemann, R., Samuel, D.B., & Donnellan, M.B. (2018). The healthy personality from a basic trait perspective. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Kaufman, S.B. (2018). Do You Have a Healthy Personality? Scientific American.