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Discover the science of human strengths and how to cultivate virtuous character.
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Character strengths are positive traits reflected in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The VIA (Values in Action) Classification, developed by Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman, provides a scientific framework for understanding human strengths as the building blocks of a flourishing life.
Six Core Virtues (universal across cultures):
1. Wisdom: Cognitive strengths for acquiring and using knowledge - Creativity, Curiosity, Open-mindedness, Love of learning, Perspective
2. Courage: Emotional strengths for achieving goals despite opposition - Bravery, Perseverance, Honesty, Zest
3. Humanity: Interpersonal strengths for caring relationships - Love, Kindness, Social intelligence
4. Justice: Civic strengths for healthy community life - Teamwork, Fairness, Leadership
5. Temperance: Strengths protecting against excess - Forgiveness, Humility, Prudence, Self-regulation
6. Transcendence: Strengths connecting to larger meaning - Appreciation of beauty, Gratitude, Hope, Humor, Spirituality
Signature Strengths are the top 3-7 strengths most essential to who you are:
Characteristics: - Feel authentic and natural to use - Energize rather than deplete you - You seek opportunities to use them - Rapid learning curve when first using them - Sense of inevitability ('This is the real me')
Identification: - VIA Survey of Character Strengths (free online) - Self-reflection on peak experiences - Feedback from others
Application: - Use strengths in new ways daily - Align work with signature strengths - Develop underused strengths
Using Signature Strengths in New Ways: - Identify top 5 strengths - Use one strength in a new way each day for a week - Research shows increased happiness, decreased depression for months
Strengths Spotting: - Identify strengths in others - Provide specific strength-based feedback - Builds positive relationships
Job Crafting with Strengths: - Reshape job tasks to use signature strengths - Increases engagement and meaning
Overuse and Underuse: - Each strength has an 'golden mean' - Overuse: Too much of a good thing (e.g., curiosity → nosiness) - Underuse: Missing opportunities for strength expression
Cross-Cultural Findings: - 24 strengths found across 54+ nations - Most common: Kindness, fairness, honesty, gratitude, judgment - Least common: Prudence, modesty, self-regulation
Strengths and Well-Being: - Signature strength use correlates with life satisfaction - Certain strengths (hope, zest, gratitude, curiosity, love) most strongly predict happiness
Strengths and Achievement: - Perseverance predicts academic and work success - Self-regulation predicts health behaviors - Social intelligence predicts leadership effectiveness
Developmental Perspective: - Strengths develop throughout life - Intentional cultivation is possible - Strengths can be expressed in age-appropriate ways
Comparing traditional remedial approaches with strengths-focused development.
| Deficit-Based Approach | Strengths-Based Approach | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Fix weaknesses | Build on strengths |
| Assumption | Success requires eliminating weaknesses | Success requires maximizing strengths |
| Energy | Often depleting and frustrating | Energizing and engaging |
| Motivation | External, remedial | Intrinsic, aspirational |
| Outcomes | Competence, adequacy | Excellence, flourishing |
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Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification. Oxford University Press.
Niemiec, R. M. (2018). Character Strengths Interventions: A Field Guide for Practitioners. Hogrefe Publishing.
Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive Psychology Progress: Empirical Validation of Interventions. American Psychologist, 60(5), 410-421.
Park, N., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2006). Character Strengths in Fifty-Four Nations and the Fifty US States. Journal of Positive Psychology, 1(3), 118-129.
Proctor, C., Maltby, J., & Linley, P. A. (2011). Strengths Use as a Predictor of Well-Being and Health-Related Quality of Life. Journal of Happiness Studies, 12(1), 153-169.
Linley, P. A., & Harrington, S. (2006). Strengths Coaching: A Potential-Guided Approach to Coaching Psychology. International Coaching Psychology Review, 1(1), 37-46.
