From Values in Action Institute
http://uat.viacharacter.org/HOME/tabid/40/language/en-US/Default.aspx
In 1998, Dr. Neal H. Mayerson contacted Dr. Martin E.P.
Seligman who was at the time conceiving of establishing a robust effort to
focus social science on exploring what is best about human beings and how we
use those best characteristics to build our best lives. The two decided
to launch and effort of unprecedented magnitude to lay the groundwork for this
new science of positive psychology. Dr. Mayerson created a non-profit
organization (now the VIA Institute on Character) to do this work and provided
the funding to support Dr. Seligman in orchestrating a diverse collection of
scholars and practitioners that took three years and more than a million
dollars to complete. The work was presented in detail in a landmark
publication, Character Strengths and Virtues, and the VIA Survey
was posted on the Internet for people to take a no charge.
- Wisdom and Knowledge – Cognitive
strengths that entail the acquisition and use of knowledge
- Creativity [originality,
ingenuity]: Thinking of novel and productive ways to conceptualize and do
things; includes artistic achievement but is not limited to it
- Curiosity [interest,
novelty-seeking, openness to experience]: Taking an interest in ongoing
experience for its own sake; finding subjects and topics fascinating;
exploring and discovering
- Judgment &
Open-Mindedness [critical thinking]: Thinking things through and
examining them from all sides; not jumping to conclusions; being able to
change one's mind in light of evidence; weighing all evidence fairly
- Love of
Learning: Mastering new skills, topics, and bodies of knowledge,
whether on one's own or formally; obviously related to the strength of
curiosity but goes beyond it to describe the tendency to add
systematically to what one knows
- Perspective
[wisdom]: Being able to provide wise counsel to others; having ways of
looking at the world that make sense to oneself and to other people
- Courage –
Emotional strengths that involve the exercise of will to accomplish goals
in the face of opposition, external or internal
- Bravery
[valor]: Not shrinking from threat, challenge, difficulty, or pain;
speaking up for what is right even if there is opposition; acting on
convictions even if unpopular; includes physical bravery but is not
limited to it
- Perseverance [persistence,
industriousness]: Finishing what one starts; persisting in a course of
action in spite of obstacles; “getting it out the door”; taking pleasure
in completing tasks
- Honesty [authenticity,
integrity]: Speaking the truth but more broadly presenting oneself in a
genuine way and acting in a sincere way; being without pretense; taking
responsibility for one's feelings and actions
- Zest [vitality,
enthusiasm, vigor, energy]: Approaching life with excitement and energy;
not doing things halfway or halfheartedly; living life as an adventure;
feeling alive and activated
- Humanity -
Interpersonal strengths that involve tending and befriending others
- Capacity to
Love and Be Loved: Valuing close relations with others, in
particular those in which sharing and caring are reciprocated; being
close to people
- Kindness [generosity,
nurturance, care, compassion, altruistic love, "niceness"]:
Doing favors and good deeds for others; helping them; taking care of them
- Social
Intelligence [emotional intelligence, personal intelligence]:
Being aware of the motives and feelings of other people and oneself;
knowing what to do to fit into different social situations; knowing what
makes other people tick
- Justice -
Civic strengths that underlie healthy community life
- Teamwork [citizenship,
social responsibility, loyalty]: Working well as a member of a group or
team; being loyal to the group; doing one's share
- Fairness:
Treating all people the same according to notions of fairness and
justice; not letting personal feelings bias decisions about others;
giving everyone a fair chance.
- Leadership:
Encouraging a group of which one is a member to get things done and at
the time maintain time good relations within the group; organizing group
activities and seeing that they happen.
- Temperance –
Strengths that protect against excess
- Forgiveness
& Mercy: Forgiving those who have done wrong; accepting the
shortcomings of others; giving people a second chance; not being vengeful
- Modesty &
Humility: Letting one's accomplishments speak for
themselves; not regarding oneself as more special than one is
- Prudence: Being
careful about one's choices; not taking undue risks; not saying or doing
things that might later be regretted
- Self-Regulation
[self-control]: Regulating what one feels and does; being
disciplined; controlling one's appetites and emotions
- Transcendence
- Strengths that forge connections to the larger universe and provide
meaning
- Appreciation
of Beauty and Excellence [awe, wonder, elevation]: Noticing and
appreciating beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in various
domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday
experience
- Gratitude: Being
aware of and thankful for the good things that happen; taking time to
express thanks
- Hope
[optimism, future-mindedness, future orientation]: Expecting the best in
the future and working to achieve it; believing that a good future is
something that can be brought about
- Humor [playfulness]:
Liking to laugh and tease; bringing smiles to other people; seeing the
light side; making (not necessarily telling) jokes
- Religiousness
& Spirituality [faith, purpose]: Having coherent beliefs
about the higher purpose and meaning of the universe; knowing where one
fits within the larger scheme; having beliefs about the meaning of life
that shape conduct and provide comfort
Return to Steve Franklin Home Page