Published on April 22, 2025 2:42 AM GMT
I aim to reduce the complexity of self-evaluation for key moments, goals, habits, and tasks in incarcerated individuals. To achieve this, I propose an System that enables discontinuous self-assessment based on the 8 Prime Identities model.
General Vision
This system is designed to support individuals in prison to assess and improve their psychological well-being through:
- Identification of key moments (high/low motivation and satisfaction)
Classification using the 8 Identities model
Definition of personalized goals, habits, and tasks
Continuous tracking of progress
Model Overview:
8 Prime Identities – LessWrong
Core System Components
- Definition of 4 reference moments (high/low motivation and satisfaction)
Gradual definition of goals, habits, and tasks
Daily self-assessment prompts for new significant moments
Weighting system for moments and contributing factors
Classification system according to the 8 identities
XP (experience points) reward system
Level 1: Foundation
Phase 1 – Defining Reference Moments (4 weeks, 1h/week)
The user answers 4 key questions about moments with high variation in motivation or satisfaction. These can also be pre-filled during an onboarding assessment.
# | State | Trigger | Focus (Int/Ext) | Factor Type (Social / Info / Indiv / Physical) | Title (2-word) |
1 | High motivation | ... | ... | ... | ... |
2 | Low motivation | ... | ... | ... | ... |
3 | High satisfaction | ... | ... | ... | ... |
4 | Low satisfaction | ... | ... | ... | ... |
Each reference moment is evaluated with:
- What led to this moment that could help you repeat it?
Was the focus more personal or environmental?
Was it more social, informational, individual, or physical?
The app proposes a matching identity (from the 8).
User gives it a 2-word title.
Initial Weights:
- High motivation/satisfaction: 1.0
Low motivation/satisfaction: 0.01
Phase 2 – Defining Goals, Habits, and Tasks (3 weeks, 1h/week)
Week 1: Goals
“What 4 goals could help you repeat/improve the positive moments and avoid the negative ones?”
→ For each goal: identify which identities it strengthens.
Week 2: Habits
“What 4 daily or weekly habits could help you reach these goals?”
→ Classify each by the identity it supports.
Week 3: Tasks
“What 4 concrete tasks can move you toward your goals?”
→ Assign each to a related identity.
Phase 3 – Ongoing Self-Evaluation of New Key Moments
- “Since last time, have you experienced moments of high or low motivation/satisfaction?”
“Describe the moment briefly.”
App analyzes and decomposes into factors.
For each factor: “How much did this contribute to the moment?” (scale 1–100)
App classifies according to identity model.
Reference Comparison System:
Compared to reference | Result | New weight | Previous reference weight |
Much higher | Replace | 1.0 | 0.33 |
Higher | Replace | 1.0 | 0.5 |
Slightly higher | Replace | 1.0 | 0.66 |
Lower | Keep reference | — | — |
(Reverse weights for negative moments range from 0.01 to 0.1)
XP System (Experience Points)
- Much higher/lower: +1 XP
Higher/lower: +0.75 XP
Slightly higher/lower: +0.5 XP
A bit higher/lower: +0.25 XP
Review System
- After a reference change: “Would you like to update your goals?”
If yes: “Would you like to update your habits?”
Reports and Visualizations
- Moment distribution by identity
Progress on goals, habits, and tasks
Motivation/satisfaction trends
Most/least developed identities
Level 2: Objective Metrics and Validation
- Dynamic threshold: 75th percentile of previous records = “high”
Advanced phase: passive sensors (steps, HRV, HR) to compare self-reports
AI always asks for user confirmation on confidence of data
🧩 Invitation to Collaborate
If this project resonates with you —whether you're a developer interested in using technology for psychological empowerment, or a rationalist passionate about designing systems that reduce bias and increase agency— I'd love to collaborate.
For developers:
Your skills could help turn this into a robust, elegant, privacy-respecting tool that can work even offline and adapt to the constraints of a prison environment. Whether you have experience with Flutter, or just love building systems that actually help people, there's space for you here.
For rationalists:
This framework is heavily inspired by Bayesian thinking, entropy-based identity modeling, and meta-rationality. I'm looking for feedback, criticisms, and contributions to refine the identity model, scoring systems, or behavior tracking logic. Especially if you're into cognitive science, applied rationality, or system design — your insights are extremely welcome.
🔗 Where to start:
I’m preparing a GitHub repo and lightweight onboarding materials (data model, design principles, UI wireframes). If you'd like to be part of this, just message me or comment on this draft — I’ll follow up with access and next steps.
🌱 Why this matters:
People in prison often lack tools for introspection, self-guided growth, and feedback loops that don’t depend on external authority. Helping someone reflect more clearly on their motivations and priorities — even once a week — can shift their trajectory. Let’s build something that respects their autonomy while supporting their development.
Discuss
