CHARACTER STRENGTHS: WHAT ARE THEY?

Criterion 1: A strength contributes to various fulfillments that constitute the good life, for oneself
and for others. Although strengths and virtues determine how an individual copes with adversity,
our focus is on how they fulfill an individual.
Allow people to achieve more than the absence of disorder
Fulfillment should not be confused with momentary pleasure or happiness
Fulfillments must reflect effort, the willful choice and pursuit over time of morally
praiseworthy activities.
Criterion 2: Although strengths can and do produce desirable outcomes, each strength is morally
valued in its own right, even in the absence of obvious beneficial outcomes.
If it was only about the payoff, we would not need the notion of good character to
account for anyones behavior simply reward and punishment
Talents differ from strengths in that they are more valued for their tangible consequences
(acclaim, wealth, etc.) rather than morality
Criterion 3: The display of a strength by one person does not diminish other people in the
vicinity.
In many, if not most cases, onlookers are elevated by their observation of virtuous action
Admiration is created more than jealousy
Criterion 4: Being able to phrase the opposite of a strength in a felicitous (favorable) way
counts against regarding it as a character strength
Example: Flexibilitys opposite could be inflexibility, but this could be viewed favorably
as steadfastness. Therefore, flexibility does not meet criteria.
Example: Honestys opposite could be tact, but the obvious opposite of tact is not
honesty but rudeness. Therefore, honesty meets the criteria.
Criterion 5: A strength needs to be manifest in the range of an individuals behavior thoughts,
feelings, and/or actions in such a way that it can be assessed. It should be trait-like in the
sense of having a degree of generality across situations and stability across time.
Some strengths are inherently more constant, versus others (i.e. bravery) that are only
relevant in settings that afford it.
Criterion 6: The strength is distinct from other positive traits in the classification and cannot be
decomposed into them.
Example: the character strength of tolerance blends open-mindedness and fairness;
patience melds self-regulation, persistence , and open-mindedness.
Criterion 7: A character strength is embodied in culturally-agreed-upon idyllic examples
Stories, parables, creeds, mottoes, pledges, songs, poems, movie characters, etc.
George Washington and honesty; Luke Skywalker and authenticity, etc.

Criterion 8: We do not believe this feature can be applied to all strengths, but an additional
criterion where sensible is the existence of prodigies with respect to the strength.
Are there kindness prodigies? People who display precocious fairness or bravery?
Criterion 9: Conversely, another criterion for a character strength is the existence of people who
show selectively the total absence of a given strength.
A person with no curiosity about the world, etc.
Criterion 10: The larger society provides institutions and associated rituals for cultivating
strengths and virtues and then for sustaining their practice.
Student council fostering leadership, religious school laying the foundation for
spirituality, The Golden Rule for social intelligence.