Abstract
The positive psychology movement has brought about a renaissance of qualities such as morality, character, and virtue. However, it has failed to connect them with contemporary personality research. Models such as Peterson and Seligman’s VIA classification exist outside the standard trait hierarchies, such as the Big Five. Thus, their place in the field of personality psychology is unclear. Compare this with the vast number of citations and public attention their handbook has received since 2004. These qualities matter to researchers and laypersons alike, and almost everybody wants to become wiser, more honest, or more compassionate.
This project is an effort to help reintegrate character strengths–one of the major topics of positive psychology–into the canon of modern personality research. To this end, I present three studies that address different problems and open questions about character strengths using the psycho-lexical approach–one of the most influential personality paradigms. In doing so, I hope to contribute to giving character strengths and the field of positive psychology the credibility they deserve and build up a strong framework for enabling corresponding personality development.
Stahlmann, Alexander Georg