Virtues/Character Strengths and Virtues

Character Strengths and Virtues
The Character Strengths and Virtues (CSV) handbook of human strengths and virtues, by Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman, represents the first attempt on the part of the research community to identify and classify the positive psychological traits of human beings.

The organization of the virtues and strengths in the book is as follows.


 * Wisdom and Knowledge (strengths that involve the acquisition and use of knowledge)
 * creativity (personified for example by Albert Einstein)
 * curiosity (personified for example by John C. Lilly)
 * open-mindedness (personified for example by William James)
 * love of learning (personified for example by Benjamin Franklin)
 * perspective and wisdom (personified for example by Ann Landers): the coordination of "knowledge and experience" and "its deliberate use to improve wellbeing." Many, but not all, studies find that adults' self-ratings of perspective/wisdom do not depend on age. This stands in contrast to the popular notion that wisdom increases with age.
 * Courage (strengths that allow one to accomplish goals in the face of opposition)
 * bravery (personified for example by Ernest Shackleton)
 * persistence (personified for example by John D. Rockefeller)
 * integrity (personified for example by Sojourner Truth)
 * vitality (personified for example by the Dalai Lama)
 * Humanity (strengths of tending and befriending others)
 * Love (personified for example by Romeo and Juliet)
 * kindness (personified for example by Cicely Saunders)
 * social intelligence (personified for example by Robert Kennedy)
 * Justice (strengths that build healthy community)
 * active citizenship / social responsibility / loyalty / teamwork (personified for example by Sam Nzima)
 * fairness (personified for example by Mohandas Gandhi)
 * leadership
 * Temperance (strengths that protect against excess)
 * forgiveness and mercy (personified for example by Pope John Paul II)
 * Humility and modesty (personified for example by Bill W., co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous)
 * Prudence (personified for example by Fred Soper)
 * self-regulation and self control (personified for example by Jerry Rice)
 * Transcendence (strengths that forge connections to the larger universe and provide meaning)
 * appreciation of beauty and appreciation of excellence (personified for example by Walt Whitman)
 * Gratitude (personified for example by G. K. Chesterton)
 * hope (personified for example by Martin Luther King, Jr.)
 * humor and playfulness (personified for example by Mark Twain)
 * spirituality (personified for example by Albert Schweitzer)