Character Strengths and Virtues (book)
| Author | Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman |
|---|---|
| Language | English; |
| Genre | Psychology, Philosophy |
| Publisher | American Psychological Association and Oxford University Press |
|
Publication date
|
2004 |
| Pages | 800 |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 803516802 |
Character Strengths and Virtues (CSV) is a book by Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman (2004) that attempts to present a measure of humanist ideals of virtue in an empirical, rigorously scientific manner.
In the same way that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is used to assess and facilitate research on mental disorders, CSV is intended to provide a theoretical framework to assist in developing practical applications for positive psychology.
CSV identifies six classes of virtue (i.e., "core virtues"), made up of twenty-four measurable "character strengths". CSV defined character strengths as satisfying most of the ten following criteria. Character strengths are fulfilling; intrinsically valuable, in an ethical sense (gifts, skills, aptitudes, and expertise can be squandered, but character strengths and virtues cannot); non-rivalrous; not the opposite of a desirable trait (a counterexample is steadfast and flexible, which are opposites but are both commonly seen as desirable); trait-like (habitual patterns that are relatively stable over time); not a combination of the other character strengths in the CSV; personified (at least in the popular imagination) by people made famous through story, song, etc.; observable in child prodigies (though this criterion is not applicable to all character strengths); absent in some individuals; and nurtured by societal norms and institutions.
The introduction of CSV suggests that these six virtues are considered good by the vast majority of cultures and throughout history and that these traits lead to increased happiness when practiced. Notwithstanding numerous cautions and caveats, this suggestion of universality hints that in addition to trying to broaden the scope of psychological research to include mental wellness, the leaders of the positive psychology movement are challenging moral relativism and suggesting that virtue has a biological basis. These arguments are in line with the science of morality.
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