Shanshine.com ... Smile! Are you shining yet? » virtues http://www.shanshine.com Peishan's musings on human flourishing Wed, 14 Jul 2010 05:54:44 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 What are your signature strengths? A tabulation of the VIA virtues and strengths http://www.shanshine.com/positive-psychology/what-are-your-signature-strengths-a-tabulation-of-the-via-virtues-and-strengths http://www.shanshine.com/positive-psychology/what-are-your-signature-strengths-a-tabulation-of-the-via-virtues-and-strengths#comments Sat, 22 Mar 2008 15:05:02 +0000 peishan http://www.shanshine.com/positive-psychology/what-are-your-signature-strengths-a-tabulation-of-the-via-virtues-and-strengths In an earlier article, What is Positive Psychology? (Part 2), I mentioned the Values in Action (VIA) Classification of Strengths Manual. This VIA was formulated after three years of extensive research into various sources such as religion and philosophy. As a tool, the VIA is indeed commendable for labelling our strengths, however, as it is relatively infant in usage, discretion should be exercised. I found the VIA Institute on Character’s exercises on using our strengths in innovative ways thought-provoking, and is definitely worth trying out!

Here is a tabulation of strengths classified under each virtue, Wisdom and Knowledge, Courage, Humanity and Love, Justice, Temperance, and Transcendence (Seligman, 2002).

Wisdom and Knowledge

  1. Curiosity/Interest in the World
  2. Love of Learning
  3. Judgment/Critical Thinking/Open-Mindedness
  4. Ingenuity/Originality/Practical Intelligence/Street Smarts
  5. Social Intelligence/Personal Intelligence/Emotional Intelligence
  6. Perspective

Courage

  1. Valour and Bravery
  2. Perseverance/Industry/Diligence
  3. Integrity/Genuineness/Honesty

Humanity and Love

  1. Kindness and Generosity
  2. Loving and Allowing Oneself to Be Loved

Justice

  1. Citizenship/Duty/Teamwork/Loyalty
  2. Fairness and Equity
  3. Leadership

Temperance

  1. Self-Control
  2. Prudence/Discretion/Caution
  3. Humility and Modesty

Transcendence

  1. Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence
  2. Gratitude
  3. Hope/Optimism/Future-Mindedness
  4. Spirituality/Sense of Purpose/Faith/Religiousness
  5. Forgiveness and Mercy
  6. Playfulness and Humour
  7. Zest/Passion/Enthusiasm

My top five strengths are Creativity, ingenuity, and originality; Curiosity and interest in the world; Appreciation of beauty and excellence; Capacity to love and be loved; and Leadership. What is yours?

References

Seligman, M. E. P. (2002). Authentic happiness: Using the new Positive Psychology to realise your potential for lasting fulfillment. New York: Simon & Schuster.

]]> http://www.shanshine.com/positive-psychology/what-are-your-signature-strengths-a-tabulation-of-the-via-virtues-and-strengths/feed 5 What is Positive Psychology? (Part 2) http://www.shanshine.com/positive-psychology/what-is-positive-psychology-part-2 http://www.shanshine.com/positive-psychology/what-is-positive-psychology-part-2#comments Thu, 24 Jan 2008 12:28:12 +0000 peishan http://www.shanshine.com/?p=6 In my first post, I defined what Positive Psychology is – “The study of the strengths and virtues that enable[s] individuals and communities to thrive and find happiness” (Positive psychology, n.d.). That is but one of many definitions abundant in this thriving new movement. To me, Positive Psychology epitomises all things optimistic, and naturally, strengths and virtues of people fall into Positive Psychology, as they are “feel-good” kind of things.

Is everything that makes you feel good positive? That is an interesting question I will consider in due course.

Going by psychological convention, manuals are possibly a convenient method of classifying the unclassified. When there is a yin, there is also a yang. After concentrating on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), a ray of sunshine is paved with the development of Values in Action (VIA) Classification of Strengths Manual (Seligman, 2003, as cited in Pawelski, 2004). The VIA comprises 24 strengths categorised under six virtues: Wisdom and knowledge, Courage, Humanity and love, Justice, Temperance, and Transcendence (Seligman, as cited in Pawelski). The strengths listed under these six virtues are great fodder for more research which I hope to undertake in the future.

The study of Positive Psychology also seeks to address not only positive individual traits (classified by the VIA), but also on two other related issues: positive subjective experience and conducive environments for positive traits and experiences (Peterson & Seligman, 2003). In a morbid metaphor, the study of traits is the skeleton, and the experience, the flesh on the skeleton. Together, they exist together (that is, the environment) to create happiness.

Traits, experience and the environment are the ingredients of the spectrum of emotions. Be it happiness or sadness, the study of “negative” Psychology, without which, would not have laid the foundation for the current interest and popularity in Positive Psychology.

References

Pawelski, J. O. (2004). The promise of positive psychology for the assessment of [and building] character. Retrieved January 24, 2008, from http://www.lifeskillstraining.org/seligman.htm

Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2003). Values in action (VIA) classification of strengths. Retrieved January 24, 2008, from http://www.ppc.sas.upenn.edu/viamanualintro.pdf

Positive psychology. (n.d.). Webster’s New Millennium™ Dictionary of English, Preview Edition (v 0.9.7). Retrieved January 17, 2008, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/positive psychology

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