Research Contemp-5 Responses

Teresa

What did you notice about the VIA measurement tool? What strikes you as well done, what seems problematic, and what else do you note about it?

The foundation of positive psychology is the identification and acknowledgment of personal strengths as a path to happiness. Utilizing one’s strengths supports one's well-being in oneself and in relationships.

Character strengths are made up of positive traits that are linked to our development, well-being, and life satisfaction. Our individual traits influence how we think, act, and feel and represent what we value in ourselves and others. The VIA (Values in Action) Character Strengths are 24 positive traits identified through research by psychologists Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson. These strengths are universal and can help guide individuals toward personal fulfillment and well-being. The 24 positive traits are categorized into six broad virtues: wisdom, knowledge, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. Identifying one’s strengths allows individuals to intentionally choose to use their strengths for application in personal development, career, or relationships (Moore, 2020).

While the VIA only identifies one’s character strengths, it does not provide an application for how to use or further develop oneself. I think it is important to give examples of how character strengths can be utilized for self and how one's strengths may be complementary to others in career and relationships.  Most information on how one's strengths are related to one's behaviors and choices would be needed (Peterson & Seligman, 2004).

b. Would you have concerns about having people from diverse groups take this “test”? Why or why not?

The VIA assessment was developed in the United States and has been studied with other cultures, although the assessment is only offered in English. The VIA would need to be provided in the county's language to accurately assess other cultures, considering cultural context as strengths may be interpreted differently. (Moore, 2020).

The VIA assessment is limited in scope as it does not include cognitive, emotional, or behavioral aspects of personality. Lastly, some may argue that the VIA overemphasizes one’s Character Strengths Without acknowledging or addressing weaknesses, Knowledge of one’s weaknesses provides an opportunity to create balance in both positive and negative areas of one’s life (Moore, 2020).

I believe that the VIA can be a useful tool if used in conjunction with an additional strength assessment such as Clifton Strength Finder to identify how one's values and strengths align in ways that contribute to self, relationships, and career.

References

Moore C (2020)  VIA Character Strengths & Survey: 31 Ways to Spot Strengths, Positive Psychology,  https://positivepsychology.com/via-survey/

Diamond

The VIA Character Strengths Profile creates a structured approach to both self reflection and personal growth by identifying important character strengths. In my results my top strengths were kindness, love, spirituality, hope, and humility which reflects values that align with a service oriented and compassionate view on life. These strengths reflect a desire to connect with others, provide support, and maintain optimism. For example, my strongest strength was kindness. My dedication to helping others and making a positive impact through community service reflects that. This quality, along with my focus on love and nurturing connections, shows my commitment to creating strong relationships that encourage support and understanding (VIA Institute on Character).

One of the tool’s strengths is its ability to offer a view of someone's character by pinpointing certain characteristic traits like spirituality and humility. Spirituality provides influence by giving meaning to your actions and decisions. Humility ensures that you approach your accomplishments with a sense of modesty. These traits together create a solid foundation for goals especially in fields like counseling or community service, where compassion, trust, and authenticity are most important. The VIA tool’s breakdown of these strengths helps to clarify how each one can be applied in your life and career, which would align with positive psychology's focus on building upon what someone already does well (Peterson & Seligman, 2004).

Despite the benefits of the VIA tool it does have limitations. As discussed in Chapter 2 of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, self assessment methods can sometimes be problematic due to biases. Individuals may unintentionally change responses based on how they wish to be perceived rather than a reflection of their behavior (Duckworth, 2016). Cultural context is another factor that can affect how individuals perceive and prioritize certain strengths. Traits like humility, spirituality, and love may hold different meanings and levels of importance depending on cultural backgrounds (McGrath, 2019).

References

Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. 

McGrath, R. E. (2019). The VIA assessment suite for adults: Development and initial evaluation of the VIA assessment battery.

Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. 

VIA Institute on Character. (n.d.). VIA character strengths. Retrieved from  https://www.viacharacter.org

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Teresa

What did you notice about the VIA measurement tool? What strikes you as well done, what seems problematic, and what else do you note about it?

The foundation of positive psychology is the identification and acknowledgment of personal strengths as a path to happiness. Utilizing one’s strengths supports one's well-being in oneself and in relationships.

Character strengths are made up of positive traits that are linked to our development, well-being, and life satisfaction. Our individual traits influence how we think, act, and feel and represent what we value in ourselves and others. The VIA (Values in Action) Character Strengths are 24 positive traits identified through research by psychologists Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson. These strengths are universal and can help guide individuals toward personal fulfillment and well-being. The 24 positive traits are categorized into six broad virtues: wisdom, knowledge, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. Identifying one’s strengths allows individuals to intentionally choose to use their strengths for application in personal development, career, or relationships (Moore, 2020).

While the VIA only identifies one’s character strengths, it does not provide an application for how to use or further develop oneself. I think it is important to give examples of how character strengths can be utilized for self and how one's strengths may be complementary to others in career and relationships.  Most information on how one's strengths are related to one's behaviors and choices would be needed (Peterson & Seligman, 2004).

b. Would you have concerns about having people from diverse groups take this “test”? Why or why not?

The VIA assessment was developed in the United States and has been studied with other cultures, although the assessment is only offered in English. The VIA would need to be provided in the county's language to accurately assess other cultures, considering cultural context as strengths may be interpreted differently. (Moore, 2020).

The VIA assessment is limited in scope as it does not include cognitive, emotional, or behavioral aspects of personality. Lastly, some may argue that the VIA overemphasizes one’s Character Strengths Without acknowledging or addressing weaknesses, Knowledge of one’s weaknesses provides an opportunity to create balance in both positive and negative areas of one’s life (Moore, 2020).

I believe that the VIA can be a useful tool if used in conjunction with an additional strength assessment such as Clifton Strength Finder to identify how one's values and strengths align in ways that contribute to self, relationships, and career.

References

Moore C (2020)  VIA Character Strengths & Survey: 31 Ways to Spot Strengths, Positive Psychology,  https://positivepsychology.com/via-survey/

Diamond

The VIA Character Strengths Profile creates a structured approach to both self reflection and personal growth by identifying important character strengths. In my results my top strengths were kindness, love, spirituality, hope, and humility which reflects values that align with a service oriented and compassionate view on life. These strengths reflect a desire to connect with others, provide support, and maintain optimism. For example, my strongest strength was kindness. My dedication to helping others and making a positive impact through community service reflects that. This quality, along with my focus on love and nurturing connections, shows my commitment to creating strong relationships that encourage support and understanding (VIA Institute on Character).

One of the tool’s strengths is its ability to offer a view of someone's character by pinpointing certain characteristic traits like spirituality and humility. Spirituality provides influence by giving meaning to your actions and decisions. Humility ensures that you approach your accomplishments with a sense of modesty. These traits together create a solid foundation for goals especially in fields like counseling or community service, where compassion, trust, and authenticity are most important. The VIA tool’s breakdown of these strengths helps to clarify how each one can be applied in your life and career, which would align with positive psychology's focus on building upon what someone already does well (Peterson & Seligman, 2004).

Despite the benefits of the VIA tool it does have limitations. As discussed in Chapter 2 of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, self assessment methods can sometimes be problematic due to biases. Individuals may unintentionally change responses based on how they wish to be perceived rather than a reflection of their behavior (Duckworth, 2016). Cultural context is another factor that can affect how individuals perceive and prioritize certain strengths. Traits like humility, spirituality, and love may hold different meanings and levels of importance depending on cultural backgrounds (McGrath, 2019).

References

Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. 

McGrath, R. E. (2019). The VIA assessment suite for adults: Development and initial evaluation of the VIA assessment battery.

Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. 

VIA Institute on Character. (n.d.). VIA character strengths. Retrieved from  https://www.viacharacter.org

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