What are Your Character Strengths?

What are Character Strengths?

Surely, you must have come across the word “character” several times in your life – in biographies, biopics, moral lessons from your elders, etc. The Oxford Dictionary describes character as “the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.” The field of positive psychology defines character in terms of character strengths and gives this amorphous concept some legs. Character strengths are considered the building blocks of human goodness and human flourishing. They are the foundation of optimal life-long development and thriving (Park & Peterson, 2009). In psychological terms, character strengths are those aspects of personality that are morally valued, and good character is not the absence of deficits and problems but rather a well-developed family of positive traits. They are substantially stable and manifest through thoughts, emotions, volition, and action and are influenced by both genetics and environment (Niemiec, 2013). Character strengths buffer against stress and trauma and are associated with desired outcomes such as school success, leadership, tolerance, kindness, altruism, and the ability to delay gratification (Park & Peterson, 2009).

But how does one measure “good character?” The answer lies in a classificatory system developed by psychologists called the Values in Action (VIA) Classification of Strengths. This is the most extensively used method of characterizing personal strengths and is at the heart and soul of any self-help program based on positive psychology. This system of classification of strengths includes six virtues – core characteristics valued by moral philosophers and religious thinkers – and 24 corresponding strengths of character as described below (Park & Peterson, 2009; Seligman, 2002, 2011):

1. Wisdom and Knowledge

• Curiosity/Interest in the world: You are open to experience and flexible about matters that don’t fit your preconceptions. You are intrigued by ambiguity and actively seek novelty.
• Love of learning: You master new skills, topics, or bodies of knowledge even in the absence of external incentives to do so.
• Judgment/critical thinking/open-mindedness: You think things through and sift through information objectively and rationally.
• Ingenuity/Originality/Creativity: You are not content with the conventional way, but use novel and appropriate ways to reach goals.
• Social/Emotional intelligence: You are aware of your and others’ motives and feelings in social interactions.
• Perspective: You provide wise counsel to others.

2. Courage

• Valor and bravery: You don’t shrink from threat, challenge, difficulty, or pain. Valor and bravery don’t imply fearlessness, boldness, or rashness but facing danger, despite fear.
• Perseverance/Industry/Diligence: You finish what you start. At the same time, you are realistic, flexible, and not a perfectionist.
• Integrity/Genuineness/Honesty: You represent yourself – your intentions and commitments – to others and to yourself in a genuine and authentic way, either verbally or through your actions.

3. Humanity and Love

• Kindness and generosity: You do favors and good deeds for others. You acknowledge the worth of another person and are guided by their best interests.
• Capacity to love and be loved: You value close relationships, and people you have deep and sustained feelings for feel the same way about you.

4. Justice

• Citizenship/Duty/Teamwork/Loyalty: You work well as a member of a group or team. You are loyal to the team and work hard for its success.
• Fairness: You treat all people the same according to notions of fairness and justice. You don’t let your personal feelings bias your decisions and give everyone a chance.
• Leadership: You organize group activities and see that they happen.

5. Temperance

• Self-control: You are able to regulate your emotions and actions when something bad happens.
• Prudence/Discretion/Caution: You are careful about your choices and don’t say or do things that you might later regret.
• Humility and modesty: You don’t regard yourself as special and let your accomplishments speak for themselves.

6. Transcendence

• Appreciation of beauty and excellence: You notice and appreciate beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in all domains – nature, art, science, and everyday life. When intense, this appreciation is accompanied by awe and wonder.
• Gratitude: You are aware of and thankful for the good things that happen to you and never take them for granted. You can also be grateful toward impersonal and nonhuman sources – nature, animals, etc.
• Hope/Optimism: You expect the best and work to achieve it.
• Spirituality/Sense of purpose/Faith/Religiousness: You have the emotional strengths that reach outside and beyond you, connecting you to something larger that gives you a sense of purpose and meaning in life.
• Forgiveness and mercy: You forgive those who have done you wrong.
• Playfulness and humor: You like to laugh and joke and bring smiles to other people.
• Zest/Passion/Enthusiasm: You are a spirited person who approaches life with excitement and energy.

It is worth noting that the presence of character strengths in an individual is not an all-or-none phenomenon. Rather, these strengths exist in degrees. A person may be high on one strength yet low on another and average on yet a third. In other words, the moral character of an individual is most sensibly described in terms of profiles of greater and lesser strengths (Walker & Pitts, 1998). Individuals will likely use their character strengths in different ways and to varying degrees depending on the circumstances. For example, you may find it easy to express kindness to a fellow employee but difficult to do so in another situation, such as while communicating with your supervisor. In most situations, you will express a combination of character strengths together rather than one character strength alone (e.g., curiosity and creativity when trying to work on a new project).

Context also shapes your character strengths (Niemiec, 2013). For example, in social context, you may use social intelligence and curiosity; when eating, you may use self-regulation; at work, you may use persistence and teamwork; and with family, you may use love and kindness. Character strengths can easily be overused or underused, and a balanced expression – the right combination of strengths expressed to the right degree and in the right situation is critical for moral maturity. Finally, strengths don’t dismiss or deny negatives.

To learn more about evidence-based self-management techniques that promote mental health and well-being, check out Dr. Duggal's Author Page.

HARPREET S. DUGGAL, MD, FAPA

REFERENCES

Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2009). Character strengths: research and practice. Journal of College and Character, 10(4), doi: 10.2202/1940-1639.1042

Niemiec, R. M. (2013). VIA character strengths: research and practice (the first 10 years). In H. H. Knoop & A. Delle Fave (Eds.), Well-being and cultures: Perspectives on positive psychology (pp.11-30). New York, NY: Springer.

Seligman, M. E. P. (2002). Authentic happiness. New York, NY: Atria Paperback.

Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish. New York, NY: Atria Paperback.

Walker, L. J., & Pitts, R. C. (1998). Naturalistic conceptions of moral maturity. Developmental Psychology, 34(3), 403-419.