Help me scientifically validate a new diagnostic instrument for analyzing inner patterns
“Controlling Projections” are recurring patterns of thought and behavior that shape how we perceive situations, make decisions, and respond to challenges. This questionnaire was developed to make exactly these patterns visible: Which inner parts are overactivated? Which are blocked? And where do automatic reactions arise that can be transformed?
This diagnostic instrument is based on a psychological structural model of the mind, as described by Yogi Bhajan and Gurucharan Singh Khalsa ("The Mind: Its Projections and Multiple Facets").
To test the scientific validity of the questionnaire, it is being compared against an established personality instrument — the IPIP-NEO-120 (Big Five). For this, I'm looking for participants who complete both questionnaires.
By taking part, you support the development of a new, modern diagnostic tool for coaching and personal development: an instrument that helps people recognize, understand, and consciously change their inner patterns.
About 20–30 minutes of your time, across two questionnaires — that's it.
- Two free, personalized reports on your personality profile
- Fascinating insights for your own reflection — and a valuable starting point for your coaching
- You support a research project that gives a new coaching tool a scientific foundation
- Optional: newsletter sign-up with regular insights and offers
What's it about?
Both questionnaires measure personality traits, but from two completely different traditions. If the results from both instruments show similar patterns, that's a strong indication that the facets measured by the newly developed questionnaire actually capture something real and recognizable.
The "Structural Model of the Mind" by Yogi Bhajan and Gurucharan Singh Khalsa
A model from the Kundalini Yoga tradition that distinguishes three fundamental mental functions: the Negative Mind (the protective, risk-scanning function), the Positive Mind (the expansive, opportunity-seeking function), and the Neutral Mind (the mediating, weighing function). Combined with three further faculties — Manas (sensory perception), Ahangkar (ego awareness), and Buddhi (discriminating wisdom) — this results in nine major thematic fields.
Each of these nine fields in turn shows up in three finer "facets" or inner patterns — 27 in total, known as Controlling Projections: recurring patterns of thought and behavior. The questionnaire in this study measures how active or burdened these 27 facets currently are. The results then become the starting point for coaching.
The Five-Factor Model (Big Five / IPIP-NEO-120)
The most extensively researched model in scientific personality psychology. It describes five broad dimensions — Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness — along with 30 finer facets beneath them. The questionnaire used here (IPIP-NEO-120, Johnson 2014) is a freely accessible, scientifically published research instrument.
What do you get for it?
Two personalized reports
After you complete both questionnaires, you can download both reports as PDF files:
- Big Five personality report — your scores across all 5 domains and 30 facets, with an explanation of what your results might mean
- Controlling Projections personality report — your activation levels across all 27 facets, with an explanation of the underlying aspects and Functional Minds
Both reports can be used for self-reflection, or, if you're interested, can serve as the basis for a coaching conversation with the mindshift.
Your Data
- Participation is voluntary and can be stopped at any time without giving a reason.
- Your name/initials, email address, and sociodemographic details (age group, gender, professional position) are all optional. Your questionnaire answers are stored only under a code, not directly linked to your name.
- If you don't provide an email address, you remain completely anonymous to us — we won't be able to link your answers to anyone. If you do provide an email address (e.g. for automatic report delivery or the newsletter), your participation is pseudonymized: we could theoretically link the code to your email address, but we only do so to deliver your report.
- Your answers are used exclusively to validate the questionnaire and to generate your optional personal report.
- Your data is never shared with third parties. You can request deletion of your data at any time.