The Emerging Science of Virtue

2020 ◽  
pp. 174569162092447
Author(s):  
Blaine J. Fowers ◽  
Jason S. Carroll ◽  
Nathan D. Leonhardt ◽  
Bradford Cokelet
Keyword(s):  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Prosocial Behavior ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Human Flourishing ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Human Psychology ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Mature Science

Numerous scholars have claimed that positive ethical traits such as virtues are important in human psychology and behavior. Psychologists have begun to test these claims. The scores of studies on virtue do not yet constitute a mature science of virtue because of unresolved theoretical and methods challenges. In this article, we addressed those challenges by clarifying how virtue research relates to prosocial behavior, positive psychology, and personality psychology and does not run afoul of the fact–value distinction. The STRIVE-4 (Scalar Traits that are Role sensitive, include Situation × Trait Interactions, and are related to important Values that help to constitute E udaimonia) model of virtue is proposed to help resolve the theoretical and methods problems and encourage a mature science of virtue. The model depicts virtues as empirically verifiable, acquired scalar traits that are role sensitive, involve Situation × Trait interactions, and relate to important values that partly constitute eudaimonia (human flourishing). The model also holds that virtue traits have four major components: knowledge, behavior, emotion/motivation, and disposition. Heuristically, the STRIVE-4 model suggests 26 hypotheses, which are discussed in light of extant research to indicate which aspects of the model have been assessed and which have not. Research on virtues has included survey, intensive longitudinal, informant-based, experimental, and neuroscientific methods. This discussion illustrates how the STRIVE-4 framework can unify extant research and fruitfully guide future research.

scholarly journals The Conceptualization, Measurement, and Role of Humor as a Character Strength in Positive Psychology

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 505-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim R. Edwards ◽  
Rod A. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Classification System ◽  
Character Strengths ◽  
The Other ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Humor Styles ◽  
Prediction Of Outcome ◽  
Human Flourishing ◽  
Character Strength

In positive psychology, humor has been identified as one of 24 character strengths considered ubiquitously important for human flourishing. Unlike the other strengths, humor was a late addition to this classification system and its status as a strength continues to be somewhat controversial. Therefore, the first purpose of this study was to explore the associations between humor and several outcome variables of relevance to positive psychology (happiness, routes to happiness, resilience, and morality). The second purpose was to explore how best to conceptualize and measure humor as a character strength by comparing the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS) Humor Scale with the Humor Styles Questionnaire (HSQ) in their ability to predict the outcome variables. A sample of 176 participants completed questionnaires assessing the humor and positive psychology constructs. The results indicated that the humor measures significantly predicted most of the outcome variables, supporting the importance of humor in positive psychology. Furthermore, although the VIA-IS Humor scale and positive humor styles on the HSQ showed considerable overlap, the negative humor styles added significantly to the prediction of outcome variables beyond these positive humor measures, supporting the importance of assessing maladaptive as well as adaptive uses of humor in research on positive psychology. These findings suggest that the HSQ may be a more useful measure than the VIA-IS Humor scale in future research in this field.

scholarly journals Personality dynamics

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eranda Jayawickreme ◽  
William Fleeson ◽  
Emorie D. Beck ◽  
Anna Baumert ◽  
Jonathan M. Adler
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Processes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intraindividual Variation ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Historical Perspectives ◽  
Personality Research ◽  
Trait Theory ◽  
New Directions ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Key Questions

Traditionally, personality psychology has been understood as the study of stability in people’s dispositions. However, a different strand of personality research has highlighted the importance of acknowledging and explaining the meaningful intraindividual variation in human thoughts, feelings, and behavior across different contexts and time. The goal of this paper is to review this strand, highlight current research, and outline key questions for future research. We summarize historical perspectives on the dynamic processes underlying the emergence of personality within and across individuals (e.g. the pioneering theorizing of Allport; the person-situation debate), recent theoretical and empirical advances in incorporating dynamic processes into the definition and assessment of personality (e.g., the study of personality states; dynamic approaches to personality including Cognitive Affective Personality System [CAPS], Whole Trait Theory, the Knowledge-and-Appraisal Personality Architecture [KAPA] framework, and Nonlinear Interaction of Person and Situation [NIPS]), and new directions in current research (e.g. idiographic approaches; understanding variability in narrative identity). We end with suggestions for future research.

Conclusion

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harald Schoen ◽  
Sigrid Roßteutscher ◽  
Rüdiger Schmitt-Beck ◽  
Bernhard Weßels ◽  
Christof Wolf
Keyword(s):  
Political Behavior ◽  
Voting Behavior ◽  
Contextual Effects ◽  
Democratic Politics ◽  
Voter Behavior ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Opinion Formation ◽  
Context Sensitive ◽  
Contextual Features ◽  
And Behavior

This concluding chapter summarizes the main findings of the preceding chapters in light of the model of contextual effects on voter behavior. Accordingly, the processes of communication and politicization are of key importance for contextual effects. By implication, we cannot take for granted that contextual features exert sizable effects on voters’ opinion formation and behavior in each and every case. Findings about contextual effects are also context-sensitive and thus do not lend themselves to generalization by default. These observations suggest that context plays a nuanced and conditional role in voting behavior. Exploring it further should be a focal topic of future research on political behavior and democratic politics.

The Interplay of Developing Morality and Gender Attitudes

2020 ◽  
pp. 724-745
Author(s):  
Rebecca S. Bigler ◽  
Lynn S. Liben
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Theory ◽  
The United States ◽  
Gender Nonconformity ◽  
Gender Attitudes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Ethical Policy ◽  
History Of ◽  
And Gender ◽  
And Behavior

Morality and gender are intersecting realms of human thought and behavior. Reasoning and action at their intersection (e.g., views of women’s rights legislation) carry important consequences for societies, communities, and individual lives. In this chapter, the authors argue that children’s developing views of morality and gender reciprocally shape one another in important and underexplored ways. The chapter begins with a brief history of psychological theory and research at the intersection of morality and gender and suggests reasons for the historical failure to view gender attitudes through moral lenses. The authors then describe reasons for expecting morality to play an important role in shaping children’s developing gender attitudes and, reciprocally, for gender attitudes to play an important role in shaping children’s developing moral values. The authors next illustrate the importance and relevance of these ideas by discussing two topics at the center of contentious debate in the United States concerning ethical policy and practice: treatment of gender nonconformity and gender-segregated schooling. The chapter concludes with suggestions for future research.

Widening the Diagnostic Focus: A Case for Including Human Strengths and Environmental Resources

2009 ◽  
pp. 70-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice A. Wright ◽  
Shane J. Lopez
Keyword(s):  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Cognitive Complexity ◽  
Professional Psychology ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Personal Integrity ◽  
Common Error ◽  
Psychology Today ◽  
Whole Person ◽  
And Behavior

In positive psychology, we must challenge a common error of professional psychology, today: making diagnostic, treatment, and policy decisions primarily on deficiencies of the person instead of giving serious consideration to “deficits” and “strengths” of both person and environment. This mission may seem disheartening in that it requires greater rather than less cognitive complexity. Yet this multifaceted focus is crucial if two system concepts—whole person and behavior as a function of person in interaction with environment—are to betaken seriously (Lewin, 1935 ). Practice and research that fall short of attending to this person-environment interaction does a disservice to remedial possibilities and personal integrity. We have divided this chapter into two parts. In the first part, we present enlightening concepts together with supporting research. In the second part, we apply the insights gained to professional practice and research and make specific recommendations regarding each of the issues raised.

scholarly journals Can neuroscience help to understand narcissism? A systematic review of an emerging field

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuel Jauk ◽  
Philipp Kanske
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Interpersonal Functioning ◽  
Integrative Model ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Pathological Narcissism ◽  
Ego Threat ◽  
Self Reports ◽  
And Behavior

Abstract Narcissism is a Janusian personality construct, associated with both grandiose self-assuredness and dominance, as well as vulnerable insecurity and reactivity. Central questions of intra- and interpersonal functioning in narcissism are still a matter of debate. Neuroscience could help to understand the paradoxical patterns of experience and behavior beyond the limitations of self-reports. We provide a systematic review of 34 neuroscience studies on grandiose, vulnerable, pathological narcissism, and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), spanning experimental investigations of intra- and interpersonal mechanisms, research on neurophysiological and neuroendocrine aspects of baseline function, and brain structural correlates. While neuroscience has scarcely directly studied vulnerable narcissism, grandiose narcissism is associated with heightened vigilance to ego threat and stress responses following ego threat, as well as heightened stress indicators in baseline measures. Such responses are not commonly observed in self-reports, highlighting the potential of neuroscience to augment our understanding of self-regulatory dynamics in narcissism. Interpersonal functioning is characterized by deficits in social–affective processes. Both involve altered activity within the salience network, pointing to a double dissociation regarding the expression of narcissism and self/other oriented situational focus. Findings are summarized in an integrative model providing testable hypotheses for future research along with methodological recommendations.

scholarly journals How Narcissism Shapes Responses to Antisocial and Prosocial Behavior: Hypo-Responsiveness or Hyper-Responsiveness?

2021 ◽  
pp. 014616722110072
Author(s):  
Jiafang Chen ◽  
Barbara Nevicka ◽  
Astrid C. Homan ◽  
Gerben A. van Kleef
Keyword(s):  
Social Behavior ◽  
Prosocial Behavior ◽  
Social Functioning ◽  
Social Order ◽  
Social Behaviors ◽  
Moral Character ◽  
Prosocial Behaviors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Reward And Punishment

Narcissists have a relatively higher proclivity for displaying antisocial rather than prosocial behaviors, suggesting a comparatively higher tendency for unfavorably impacting societies. However, maintenance of social order also depends on appropriate responses to others’ social behavior. Once we focus on narcissists as observers rather than actors, their impact on social functioning becomes less clear-cut. Theoretical arguments suggest that narcissists could be either hypo-responsive or hyper-responsive to others’ social behavior. Across four studies, we examined narcissists’ responsiveness to variations in others’ antisocial and prosocial behaviors. Results showed that narcissists differentiated less between others’ antisociality/prosociality, as reflected in their subsequent moral character evaluations (Studies 1–4) and reward and punishment (Studies 3 and 4). These results suggest that narcissists are hypo-responsive to others’ social behaviors. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Alignment of Supplementary Aids and Services With Student Needs and Placement

2021 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 187-203
Author(s):  
Samantha Gross Toews ◽  
Russell Johnston ◽  
Jennifer A. Kurth ◽  
Andrea L. Ruppar ◽  
Jessica A. McQueston ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Communication ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Behavior Support ◽  
Significant Disabilities ◽  
Policy Practice ◽  
Placement Decisions ◽  
Communication Needs ◽  
Educational Placements ◽  
And Behavior

Abstract Trends in the supplementary aids and services (SAS) written in individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with significant disabilities (a) in different educational placements, (b) with and without behavior support plans (BSP), and (c) with and without complex communication needs (CCN) are examined using multivariate analysis of variance. Results show no significant differences in SAS for students across separate, resource, and inclusive placements. Students with BSPs had significantly more collaborative and behavior SAS than those without BSPs. Students with CCN had significantly more social-communication SAS than those whose IEPs indicated little to no communication support needs; however, 51.1% of students with CCN had no social-communication SAS. Findings raise concern around the extent to which SAS are considered before placement decisions, the high frequency of paraprofessional support for students with BSPs, and the low frequency of social-communication SAS written for students with CCN. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are provided.

Cultural differences in gift recipients’ attitude and behavior toward disliked gifts

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Theeranuch Pusaksrikit ◽  
Sydney Chinchanachokchai
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relationship Closeness ◽  
Marketing Segmentation ◽  
Self Construal ◽  
The Usa ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Different Cultures ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of cultural differences and the types of relationship closeness involved in recipients’ emotional and behavioral reactions after receiving disliked gifts. Design/methodology/approach Collecting data from Thailand and the USA, two experiments were conducted in a 2 (self-construal: independent/interdependent) × 2 (relationship closeness: close/distant) between-subjects design. Study 1 explores the recipients’ feelings and reactions upon receipt of a disliked gift. Study 2 explores the disposition process for a disliked gift. Findings The results show that a recipient’s emotions, reaction and disposition process can be affected by cultural differences and relationship closeness: specifically that close and distant relationships moderate the relationship between self-construal and gift-receiving attitudes and behaviors. Research limitations/implications Future research can investigate representative groups from other countries to broaden the generalizability of the findings. Practical implications This understanding can guide gift-givers when selecting gifts for close or distant recipients across cultures. Additionally, it can help retailers develop and introduce new marketing strategies by applying self-construal as a marketing segmentation tool for gift purchase and disposition. Originality/value This research is among the first studies to offer insights into how individuals in different cultures manage disliked gifts they receive from people in either close or distant relationships.

Lacking status hinders prosocial behavior among the powerful

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (9) ◽  
pp. 1547-1560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeri Cho ◽  
Nathanael J. Fast
Keyword(s):  
Low Power ◽  
Prosocial Behavior ◽  
High Power ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Helping Behavior ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Full Time ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Interpersonal Helping ◽  
Power Hierarchy

We conducted 2 studies to examine if status has varying effects on prosocial behavior for those at different levels of the power hierarchy. In Study 1 (N = 78), adults employed full-time in the USA responded to an online survey and the results showed that self-perceived power and status interacted to predict prosocial behavior. That is, lacking status led high-power, but not low-power, individuals to engage less in prosocial behavior. In Study 2 (N = 142), we orthogonally manipulated status and power and measured prosocial behavior. Once again, lacking status led to less helping behavior among high-power, but not low-power, participants. These findings show how power and status interact to influence interpersonal helping behavior. Implications for future research on social hierarchy and prosocial behavior are discussed.

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