Character strengths in the United Kingdom: The VIA Inventory of Strengths

• Published in: Personality and individual differences Vol. 43; no. 2; pp. 341 - 351
• Main Authors: Alex Linley, P., Maltby, John, Wood, Alex M., Joseph, Stephen, Harrington, Susan, Peterson, Christopher, Park, Nansook, Seligman, Martin E.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Character strengths; Classification; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Personality; Personality. Affectivity; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychometrics; Strengths assessment; UK sample; Values; VIA Inventory of Strengths; United Kingdom; Europe; VIA Inventory of Strengths; Character strengths; UK sample; Human; Personality test; Questionnaire; Psychometrics; Personality
• ISSN: 0191-8869; 1873-3549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2006.12.004

The development of a classification of strengths, the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths, has done much to advance research into strengths of character. Using an Internet sample of 17,056 UK respondents, we present data on the character strengths of a large UK sample. Women typically scored higher on strengths than did men. However, four of the top five “signature strengths” of the UK men and women overall were the same (open-mindedness, fairness, curiosity, and love of learning). Strengths typically showed small but significant positive associations with age, with the strongest associations with age between curiosity and love of learning (strengths of wisdom and knowledge), fairness (a strength of justice), and forgiveness and self-regulation (strengths of temperance). The discussion addresses potential limitations and suggests pertinent directions for future research.