SELECTED QUESTIONS FROM THE AUTHENTICITY TEST

which is embodied in the first two chapters of

Becoming More Authentic: The Positive Side of Existentialism
    

Instructions

     The first two chapters of this book contain about 100 questions,
which are intended to help you evaluate your own growth toward Authenticity.
Of course, questions, which must necessarily ask about facts of your life,
cannot get to the real core of Authenticity—your reasons and motives.
Also, questions can only sample your life at random.
If you smoke (Question #4), this behavior stands for hundreds of other 'choices'
you have made because of peer pressure rather than personal autonomy.
And giving up smoking will not make you a more Authentic person
unless it is part of a much broader change toward deciding for yourself.
Changing your behavior simply because of a question in the Authenticity Test
is no more valid than claiming to be an educated person
because you knew the exam questions in advance and studied only for them.

     The 23 contrasts on page 4 might better be seen as 23 growth scales.
Thus, instead of merely giving yourself a numerical score,
you might decide to write a paragraph of self-examination
for each dimension of growth that seems meaningful to you.
Such writing might become the beginning of your Authenticity journal (p. 31).

     If you are tempted to distort your score one way or another,
you might decide to take the test (which appears in boxes)
before you read the text explaining each form of growth toward Authenticity.
Or if you are reading this book with someone who knows you well,
you might discuss your ratings with each other.

     When a question cannot easily be answered yes or no,
feel free to interpret and give yourself fractional points.  For instance:

16.  Did I get married (or will I have married) because it was expected?
yes—2 points                  somewhat—1 point                      no—0 points

If your marrying behavior was due mostly to social pressure,
you might give yourself 1.5 points.

     Even if the Authenticity Test is not helpful in other ways,
at least the specific questions can open possible areas for growth.
And, of course, you may add your own growth goals to the 23 explored here.

A DEFINITION OF AUTHENTIC EXISTENCE by JAMES PARK                                           7



    Here is the first part of the Authenticity Test, which should reveal
the degree to which we have accepted our given culture or sub-culture:

1. To what degree do I still copy other human beings?
very much—3 points     somewhat—2 points     very little—1 point     none—0

2. Do I hold a job that existed before I came along?   yes—3 points       no—0

3. Do I drink coffee?                               yes—1 point                 no—0 points

4. Do I smoke?                                       yes—1 point                 no—0 points

5. Do I drink alcoholic beverages?          yes—1 point                  no—0 points

6. Score yourself on the following possessions you own:
car—3 points      recreational vehicle or boat—2 points      television—1 point

7. Am I married?                                    yes—3 points                no—0 points

8. Do I watch sports or soap operas on television?
regularly—4 points                 occasionally—2 points              never—0 points

9. Do I read the sports section of a newspaper or romance novels?
regularly—2 points                 occasionally—1 point                never—0 points

10. Have I copied the religion (or non-religion) of my parents?
yes—2 points                to some degree—1 point               not at all—0 points

11. Do I agree with the political beliefs of my close associates?
                         yes—2 points                    somewhat—1 point
I decide each issue independent of the beliefs of my peers—0 points

12. Am I still capable of falling in love?
yes—3 points     somewhat—2 points         seldom—1 point        no—0 points



30. Do I acknowledge that some of my past choices were enculturated?
yes—4 points                  somewhat—2 points              no—0 points

31. Am I actively resisting the expectations of other people
in order to pursue values and purposes I consider more important?
yes—4 points                  somewhat—2 points              no—0 points

32. Have I started to re-create or re-invent myself,
centering my new being around purposes I have freely chosen?
yes—4 points                  somewhat—2 points              no—0 points

33. Have I created my own means of making a living?  Choose one:
I have resisted holding a job
in order to devote myself to more important purposes—3 points
I have created a brand new occupation
in which I can pursue my Authentic project-of-being—3 points
I have modified an existing occupation to be more Authentic—2 points
I have a job that leaves little room for Authenticity—0 points




    The  method of scoring  is not relevant here,
since there are about 100 questions in all.  
But the questions above give a fair idea
of how the Authenticity Test works.
The complete test is found in the printed version of
Becoming More Authentic: The Positive Side of Existentialism.


 
Return to the Table of Contents for
Becoming More Authentic: The Positive Side of  Existentialism



Go to the beginning of this website
James Leonard Park—Free Library