Technical Overview of the AWE-S Journal and Assessment Tool

AWE-S Assessment and Experience Journal — Last updated: 2026

1. Overview

The AWE-S Journal and Assessment Tool is a web-based platform designed to facilitate structured journaling and assessment of awe experiences using the validated Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S).

The platform allows individuals to document an experience, complete the 30-item AWE-S questionnaire, and receive an automatically calculated multidimensional profile presented through the Zamin Awe Diagram.

The system is designed to support both personal reflection and potential research use.

2. Questionnaire Implementation

The tool implements the full 30-item Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S), developed by Yaden, Keltner, and colleagues and validated across two large independent samples.

The system calculates scores for the six validated AWE-S dimensions:

Vastness
Connectedness
Self-Diminishment
Need for Accommodation
Physical Sensations
Altered Time Perception

It also computes three interpretive meta-clusters based on patterns identified in awe research:

Expansive Awe (Vastness and Connectedness)
Challenging Awe (Self-Diminishment and Need for Accommodation)
Embodied Awe (Physical Sensations and Altered Time Perception)

All scores are calculated automatically based on user responses using the standard AWE-S scoring methodology: each factor score is the mean of its five items, rated on a 7-point scale from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree.

3. The Zamin Awe Diagram

The platform generates a proprietary visualization of the user's awe profile called the Zamin Awe Diagram.

The diagram presents two concentric rings:

Outer ring: six equal sections, one per AWE-S factor
Inner ring: three equal sections, one per meta-cluster

Within each section, seven concentric bands represent the seven points of the rating scale. Bands fill from the inside outward in proportion to the score. A score of 4 out of 7 fills the innermost four bands; a score of 6.5 fills six bands and half of the seventh.

The diagram is interactive: hovering over any section reveals the factor name, score, intensity level, and a plain-language description of what that dimension means.

4. User Interaction Flow

The platform supports authenticated use only.

Users create a secure account to:

maintain a personal journal of awe experiences
complete the AWE-S questionnaire for each experience
view their Zamin Awe Diagram and structured profile
review, edit, or delete previous entries

5. Scoring and Interpretation

The scoring system automatically:

calculates all six factor means and three meta-cluster means
computes an overall awe score across all 30 items
generates a written interpretation based on the dominant profile pattern

Results are presented in two formats: a structured profile page with numerical scores and written descriptions, and an immersive visualization page featuring the Zamin Awe Diagram.

6. Privacy and Data Handling

Privacy was a primary design consideration.

Key design features include:

secure account authentication required for all journal features
user-controlled journal entries
ability to edit or delete stored data at any time
no data shared with third parties
all data transmitted over encrypted HTTPS connections

7. Research Applications

The platform can support research environments.

Potential features include:

anonymous participant submission
aggregated factor score analysis
Zamin Awe Diagram outputs for group-level visualization
integration with existing research workflows using the AWE-S

These capabilities allow the tool to function as a structured digital data collection interface for AWE-S responses.

8. Accessibility

The system is accessible via standard web browsers and does not require installation.

It is optimized for:

desktop devices
tablets
mobile devices

9. Contact

For technical inquiries: info@maudconsulting.com