Maslow Pyramid Assessment

NOTE: The standalone Maslow system has been replaced by the unified Structured Assessments system. Maslow is now a survey template (maslow-needs-v1) with result_type=pyramid. See structured-assessments for current implementation.

Overview

The Maslow Pyramid Assessment is the core survey instrument of ImpactPulse. Based on Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, it measures an individual's well-being across five fundamental categories, providing a holistic view of personal fulfillment and areas for growth.

Related Flows: Take Assessment | View Results | Analytics Dashboard

The Five Levels ✅ (implemented as template maslow-needs-v1)

1. Physiological Needs (Base)

The foundation of the pyramid. Covers basic survival and comfort needs.

Assessment areas:

• Access to adequate food and nutrition
• Quality of sleep and rest
• Physical health and exercise
• Financial stability for basic needs
• Living conditions and shelter

2. Safety Needs

Security and stability in daily life.

Assessment areas:

• Physical safety and security
• Job security and financial stability
• Health and well-being
• Personal and family safety
• Emotional security

3. Love and Belonging

Social connections and relationships.

Assessment areas:

• Quality of personal relationships
• Sense of community and belonging
• Family connections
• Friendship and social support
• Intimacy and emotional bonds

4. Esteem

Self-worth and recognition.

Assessment areas:

• Self-confidence and self-respect
• Recognition from others
• Professional achievement
• Sense of competence
• Independence and autonomy

5. Self-Actualization (Peak)

Reaching one's full potential.

Assessment areas:

• Personal growth and development
• Creative expression
• Purpose and meaning in life
• Pursuing passions
• Contributing to something larger than oneself

Assessment Design

Question Format

Each category contains multiple questions rated on a 0 to 5 scale:

Scoring System ✅ (implemented via unified scoring engine)

• Per Category: Sum of all question ratings within the category, normalized to a percentage
• Per Level: Average of category percentages within the level
• Overall Score: Weighted average across all five levels
• Score Range: 0% to 100% for each level and overall

Data Types

interface MaslowCategory {
  category: string
  question: string
  weight: number
  ratings: Record<number, string>
}

interface MaslowLevel {
  level: string
  color: string
  pyramidTint: string
  categories: MaslowCategory[]
}

interface MaslowAnswers {
  [key: string]: number // category -> rating (0-5)
}

interface MaslowSurveyResult {
  id?: string
  user_id: string
  levels: LevelResult[]
  totalScore: number
  maxPossibleScore: number
  percentage: number
  answers: MaslowAnswers
  context?: string
  created_at: string
}

Visual Representation

The Pyramid Display

The results are displayed as an interactive Maslow Pyramid SVG visualization:

• Each level of the pyramid is color-coded
• Fill level corresponds to the score percentage
• Hover/click reveals detailed category breakdowns
• The pyramid tint changes based on score ranges (red for low, green for high)

Color Scheme

Each level has a distinct color for easy identification:

• Physiological: Earth tones (foundation)
• Safety: Blue/teal tones (stability)
• Love/Belonging: Warm pink/red tones (connection)
• Esteem: Purple/violet tones (achievement)
• Self-Actualization: Gold/yellow tones (peak)

Comparison Analytics

Attempt-over-Attempt Comparison

When a user takes the assessment multiple times, the system provides:

• Delta per category: Percentage point change for each category
• Delta per level: Change in each Maslow level
• Overall trend: Direction of overall well-being
• Biggest improvement: Category with most positive change
• Biggest decline: Category that decreased the most

Comparison Views

• Line charts: Score trends over time for each level
• Radar charts: Current vs. previous attempt overlay
• Bar charts: Side-by-side category comparisons
• Heat maps: Patterns across multiple attempts

Context Feature

Before starting the assessment, users can optionally provide a context note describing their current life situation. This helps with later reflection when reviewing historical results.

Examples:

• "Just started a new job"
• "Going through a career transition"
• "3 months after joining the wellness program"

Database Storage

Assessment results are stored in the maslow_scores collection:

{
  _id: ObjectId("..."),
  user_id: ObjectId("user_id"),
  session_id: ObjectId("session_id"),
  response_id: ObjectId("response_id"),
  survey_id: ObjectId("survey_id"),
  attempt_number: 2,
  scores: {
    physiological: 0.85,
    safety: 0.72,
    love_belonging: 0.68,
    esteem: 0.61,
    self_actualization: 0.55,
    overall: 0.682
  },
  comparison_with_previous: {
    attempt_compared: 1,
    physiological_delta: 0.05,
    safety_delta: -0.03,
    love_belonging_delta: 0.08,
    esteem_delta: 0.11,
    self_actualization_delta: 0.15,
    overall_delta: 0.072,
    days_between: 92
  },
  percentiles: {
    physiological: 75,
    safety: 60,
    love_belonging: 55,
    esteem: 45,
    self_actualization: 40,
    overall: 55
  },
  insights: {
    strongest_area: "physiological",
    weakest_area: "self_actualization",
    biggest_improvement: "self_actualization",
    biggest_decline: "safety",
    consistency_score: 0.82
  },
  calculated_at: ISODate("2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"),
  calculation_version: "1.0"
}

Frontend Components (Replaced)

The standalone Maslow components have been replaced by the unified survey system. The generic survey taking, results, and visualization components now handle Maslow assessments via result_type=pyramid.

• MaslowContextPage: Removed (context collected via survey intro screen)
• MaslowQuestionnaire: Removed (replaced by generic group-per-page survey UI)
• QuestionSlider: Removed (replaced by generic rating component)
• MaslowPyramid: Replaced by PyramidVisualization reading from GroupResult[]
• MaslowPyramidSVG: Still used by PyramidVisualization
• MaslowSurveyPage: Removed (replaced by generic survey taking page)
• MaslowResultsPage: Removed (replaced by generic results page with result_type switch)
• MaslowAnalyticsPage: Removed (replaced by unified analytics)

Best Practices for Users

Recommended Frequency

• Minimum: Once per quarter (4 times per year)
• Optimal: Once per month for active development tracking
• During transitions: Weekly during major life changes

Getting Accurate Results

• Answer honestly based on current feelings
• Take the assessment at a similar time of day
• Use the context feature to note circumstances
• Complete in one sitting if possible (auto-save available as backup)

Using Results

• Focus on lowest-scoring levels first (foundation up)
• Track trends rather than individual scores
• Compare against your own history, not others
• Use insights to guide personal development goals