MayersonCharacterFallingShort
Judging Character: When We Fall Short ***
(Dec. 14, 2009) **
By Neal H. Mayerson, Ph.D.**
Chairman, VIA Institute *
There have been books written about why bad things happen to good people and why good things happen to good people. Now what we need is a book that talks about when good people do bad things, such as when an honest person lies. *
We readily talk about how the 24 VIA character strengths each occur along a continuum of strength as opposed to existing categorically as black or white. The VIA Survey reports scores along a continuum and we have been attending to what the presence of those strengths mean in our lives. But the flip side of that coin is a critically important one for us to consider. *
The flip side of possessing a character trait at some strength is that we also do NOT express that character trait to some degree. Though we may usually be open-minded, there are times when we can be stubbornly closed. I can often be honest, but sometimes not. What happens to our judgments of ourselves and one another when we observe these infractions of character? *
A large literature on actor-observer bias tells us that we all have a tendency to excuse our own misbehavior by noting all sorts of circumstantial reasons, while others judge our misbehavior as reflecting stable dispositions. Herein are two problems. First, this attributional asymmetry allows us all to fall short of our values without damaging our self-esteem. It may be difficult to correct this side of the actor-observer bias. Like someone with bulimia whose restraints on eating dissipate when a purging solution becomes viable, our ability to rationalize can keep us from having a governor on misbehaving. Thankfully, though, we seem to have an intrinsic motivation to act good to compensate for the fact that our psyche has developed a loophole that allows bad behavior through. *
We may, though, be more able to manage how we judge others when we observe character infractions. First, we can be cognizant of our tendency to under-recognize situational factors and try to be more balanced. We can do a better job of looking for factors in the situation that might have pressured the person to misbehave and considering the validity of those factors. Stealing a loaf of bread to feed one’s family is a more valid reason than stealing just for the fun of it. Second, we can recognize that ALL of us fall short of our values sometimes – “to err is human” – and find some compassion and forgiveness in that realization. *
We can also look at the seriousness of the infraction, knowing that all infractions are not equal. A “misstatement” is less egregious than a bold-faced lie. A rude remark impugns one’s “kindness” less than an affair with one’s best friend’s spouse. Finally, character is a trend and not an event. So, we need to consider the consistency of a person’s behavior over time and across situations to find the truth of someone’s character. *
As we become better at judging the character of ourselves and others, we will be growing a more compassionate world in which to live. *
ABOUT VIA ***
11/17/08 *
The VIA* Institute on Character (www.viacharacter.org) was founded as a non-profit organization in 2000 by Dr. Martin E.P. Seligman and Dr. Neal H. Mayerson. Dr. Seligman was, at the time, President of the American Psychological Association and is considered to be the “father of positive psychology.” Positive psychology is the scientific study of what enables individuals and communities to thrive. Dr. Mayerson is a psychologist and noted philanthropist. Together they formed VIA Institute to create an intellectually and scientifically rigorous classification of character strengths and a way of measuring such strengths. *
Dr. Christopher Peterson, from the University of Michigan, and one of the most cited psychologists of our time, was brought on board to help develop the VIA Classification of Strengths, the VIA Survey, and to write, with Dr. Seligman, Character Strengths and Virtues, published by Oxford University Press. Their work has been lauded by noted psychologists. Dr. George Vaillant of Harvard University said the publication of our work “is destined to become a classic both in the social sciences and in the humanities”. Dr. Howard Gardner, Hobbs Professor of Education and Cognition, Harvard Graduate School of Education, said VIA’s work is “...one of the most important initiatives in psychology of the past half century”. *
Access Article: http://www.viacharacter.org/MayersononCharacterWhenWeFallShort/tabid/305/Default.aspx *
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Approximately 1 million people worldwide have taken the VIA Survey on Character Strengths and it has been translated into 10 languages. *
The VIA Classification identifies 24 character strengths that have been found to be universal – characteristics that define what’s best about people. The VIA Survey is the measurement tool that has undergone significant scientific validation. The Classification and Survey resulted from a three-year dedicated effort involving 55 noted social scientists. *
*The acronym VIA formerly stood for "Values in Action." Dr. Mayerson and others came to believe the most important aspect of the study of the VIA character strengths and virtues was "character." The Institute's name was changed to the VIA Institute on Character in 2007. *
Access VIA Institute and VIA Survey: *** http://www.viacharacter.org/Home/AboutVIA/tabid/59/Default.aspx
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http://dreamlearndobecome.blogspot.com This posting was made my Jim Jacobs, President & CEO of Jacobs Executive Advisors. Jim also serves as Leader of Jacobs Advisors' Insurance Practice.
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