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Wilson D, Ng V, Foster J, Tay L. Character Traits Predict Health and Well-Being beyond Personality. J Pers Assess 2024; 106:116-126. [PMID: 37036124 DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2023.2197064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
We examined the incremental validity of character in predicting health outcomes and well-being beyond personality traits and investigated the extent to which health-related behaviors mediate the relationship between character and well-being. Findings indicate that several character cores (e.g., transcendence, fortitude) predict well-being, health behaviors, and health outcomes beyond different measures of personality traits, indicating that character is discriminable from personality as indicated by incremental prediction. In particular, fortitude, temperance, transcendence, and sincerity appear to be key players. Implications for character research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vincent Ng
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston
| | - Jeff Foster
- Department of Psychology, Missouri State University, Springfield
| | - Louis Tay
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette
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2
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Cowden RG, Chen ZJ, Bechara AO, Worthington EL. Associations of dispositional forgivingness with facets of well-being among Colombian adults: A longitudinal outcome-wide analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 58:153-163. [PMID: 36251713 DOI: 10.1002/ijop.12883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Many studies have reported evidence suggesting that dispositional forgivingness has positive implications for different domains of well-being. However, relatively few methodologically rigorous studies have been conducted in the Global South, particularly in post-conflict settings where forgiveness could play an important role in supporting individual well-being. In this three-wave cohort study of predominantly young adult Colombians (n = 1575), we examined the associations of dispositional forgivingness with 20 well-being outcomes across several domains of well-being: psychological distress, psychological well-being, physical health, social well-being, and character strengths/virtues. Using an outcome-wide analytic design that included extensive control for potential confounding and reverse causation by adjusting for a range of covariates assessed in Wave 1 (2017), we found that dispositional forgivingness assessed in Wave 2 (2018) was at least modestly associated with improvements in one or more facet of each well-being domain assessed approximately 1 year later in Wave 3 (2019). Associations tended to be stronger for outcomes in the domains of psychological distress, psychological well-being, social well-being, and character strengths/virtues compared to the physical health domain. These longitudinal findings suggest that dispositional forgivingness might promote individual well-being in societies with a long history of ongoing civil unrest, conflict, and war.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard G Cowden
- Human Flourishing Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Zhuo Job Chen
- School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
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3
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Reig-Aleixandre N, Esparza-Reig J, Martí-Vilar M, Merino-Soto C, Livia J. Measurement of Prosocial Tendencies: Meta-Analysis of the Generalization of the Reliability of the Instrument. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11040560. [PMID: 36833094 PMCID: PMC9956867 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11040560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The Prosocial Tendencies Measure (PTM) and its revised version (PTM-R) are used internationally to measure prosocial behaviors in different life situations. To obtain accumulated evidence of the report and the reliability of its scores, a meta-analysis of the reliability of internal consistency was performed. The databases of Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus were reviewed and all the studies that applied it from 2002 to 2021 were selected. Results: Only 47.9% of the studies presented the index of reliability of PTM and PTM-R. The meta-analytic results of the reliability report of the subscales that the PTM and the PTM-R have in common were: Public 0.78 (95% CI: 0.76-0.80), Anonymous 0.80 (95% CI: 0.79-0.82), Dire 0.74 (95% CI: 0.71-0.76), and Compliant 0.71 (95% CI: 0.72-0.78). Each one of them presents high levels of heterogeneity derived from the gender of the participants (percentage of women), the continent of the population, the validation design, the incentive to participate, and the form of application. It is concluded that both versions present acceptable reliabilities to measure prosocial behavior in different groups and situations, as adolescents and young people, but their clinical use is discouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Javier Esparza-Reig
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad Europea de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Martí-Vilar
- Departamento de Psicología Básica, Universitat de València, Avgda. Blasco Ibañez 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.M.-V.); (C.M.-S.)
| | - César Merino-Soto
- Instituto de Investigación de Psicología, Universidad San Martín de Porres, Lima 34, Peru
- Correspondence: (M.M.-V.); (C.M.-S.)
| | - José Livia
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal, Lima 15088, Peru
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Davis DE, Bowes S, McLaughlin A, Hsu W, Gazaway S, McElroy-Heltzel S, Van Tongeren DR, Hook JN. In search of convergent creativity: content analysis of research on intellectual humility. THE JOURNAL OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2022.2154706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Don E. Davis
- Department of Counseling and Psychological Services, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Shauna Bowes
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Aaron McLaughlin
- Department of Counseling and Psychological Services, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Wendy Hsu
- Department of Counseling and Psychological Services, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sarah Gazaway
- Department of Counseling and Psychological Services, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | | | - Joshua N. Hook
- Department of Psychology, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA
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5
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McGrath RE. A Summary of Construct Validity Evidence for Two Measures of Character Strengths. J Pers Assess 2022; 105:302-313. [PMID: 36121305 DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2022.2120402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The VIA Inventory of Strengths has become the most widely used instrument in the world for measuring the construct referred to character strengths. However, several limitations were noted in its original development. In response, the VIA Assessment Suite for Adults was developed as a battery of instruments intended to address those gaps. The suite includes two inventories providing dimensional measures of the character strengths: the VIA Inventory of Strengths-Revised and the Global Assessment of Character Strengths. Short forms were also developed for each. So far, five reasonably sized samples of adults (total N = 7,924) have provided evidence for the empirical validity of some subset of these instruments, making them the most thoroughly vetted measures of character strengths available today. This article aggregates previously available and new findings on their construct validity. Evidence concerning substantive validity, structural validity, and external validity is reviewed, and in some cases aggregated across samples. The findings generally support the construct validity of the instruments evaluated according to all three standards, with exceptions noted. Recommendations are offered for their use in research and applied settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert E McGrath
- School of Psychology and Counseling, Fairleigh Dickinson University
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6
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Michael Furr R, Prentice M, Hawkins Parham A, Jayawickreme E. Development and Validation of the Moral Character Questionnaire. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN PERSONALITY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jrp.2022.104228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Jiao L, Yang Y, Guo Z, Xu Y, Zhang H, Jiang J. Development and validation of the good and evil character traits (GECT) scale. Scand J Psychol 2021; 62:276-287. [PMID: 33438756 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The present study describes the development and validation of the good and evil character traits (GECT) scale. A set of 3,614 good and evil moral character descriptors (i.e., moral and immoral character traits) was selected from a dictionary of contemporary Chinese language and daily life expressions and ultimately condensed into 55 items. Then, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and parallel analysis (PA) were conducted to explore the structure and final items of the GECT with sample 1 (n = 350), resulting in 21 good items and 32 evil items. After that, in confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with sample 2 (n = 350), the resulting factor structure was confirmed for the 53-item scale (Study 1). Additionally, evidence of validity based on correlations with Honesty-Humility and Dirty Dozen was demonstrated (Study 2). The implications of our findings for the assessment of good and evil characters and further theoretical exploration are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liying Jiao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Zhen Guo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Heyun Zhang
- School of Government, Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, Shanghai, 201701, China
| | - Jiang Jiang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
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Ng V, Lee P, Ho MHR, Kuykendall L, Stark S, Tay L. The Development and Validation of a Multidimensional Forced-Choice Format Character Measure: Testing the Thurstonian IRT Approach. J Pers Assess 2020; 103:224-237. [DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2020.1739056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Ng
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Philseok Lee
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia
| | - Moon-Ho Ringo Ho
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Lauren Kuykendall
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia
| | - Stephen Stark
- Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Louis Tay
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
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Ng V, Tay L. Lost in Translation: The Construct Representation of Character Virtues. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2020; 15:309-326. [PMID: 31971864 DOI: 10.1177/1745691619886014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A seemingly universal lesson is that anything taken to its extreme is detrimental. Indeed, there has been growing interest in testing this idea within psychology. These studies have often been framed in terms of Aristotle's doctrine of the golden mean or the idea that virtue lies between the vices of deficiency and excess. Recent explicit reviews of this hypothesis in the psychological literature have led to the paradoxical conclusion that one can have too much virtue (i.e., the too-much-of-a-good-thing effect) despite virtue being identified by the golden mean. We argue in this article that this conclusion is due to a reductionist account of virtues in psychology and the resultant measurement of virtues as general dispositional tendencies in behavior. We review philosophical theory on the golden mean to show that the relationship between virtue and relevant behavior is fundamentally about situation-specific optimality. Using schematic models, we contrast the former measurement approach against the latter to explain the too-much-of-a-good-thing effect and further demonstrate why virtues cannot be properly measured as general tendencies in behavior. We conclude with methodological implications of our theory-informed approach to virtue measurement for research design, evaluation, and conceptualization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Ng
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston
| | - Louis Tay
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University
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10
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McGrath RE, Wallace N. Cross-Validation of the VIA Inventory of Strengths-Revised and its Short Forms. J Pers Assess 2019; 103:120-131. [PMID: 31868546 DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2019.1705465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The VIA Inventory of Strengths is an extremely popular index of the 24 character strengths that comprise the VIA Classification of Character Strengths and Virtues. The inventory has recently been extensively revised. The current study sought to evaluate the reliability and validity of the revised VIA Inventory, including newly developed short forms and scales measuring the virtue component of the VIA Classification. This study used two samples of adults, one comprised of 743 individuals recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), and another of 631 individuals who accessed the VIA Institute of Character website to complete an earlier version of the VIA Inventory. Participants completed the new version of the inventory as well as a measure of related behaviors. The current study examines internal consistency, factor structure, test-retest reliability, criterion-related validity, convergent and discriminant validity, and item discrimination statistics. The results suggest the inventory generally meets psychometric standards for a measure of the targeted character strengths and virtues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert E McGrath
- School of Psychology, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ
| | - Norah Wallace
- School of Psychology, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ
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12
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Miller CB. Some philosophical concerns about how the VIA classifies character traits and the VIA-IS measures them. JOURNAL OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2018.1528377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Joshanloo M. Optimal human functioning around the world: A new index of eudaimonic well-being in 166 nations. Br J Psychol 2018; 109:637-655. [DOI: 10.1111/bjop.12316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Joshanloo
- Department of Psychology; Keimyung University; Daegu South Korea
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