Oral Presentation 6th World Congress on Positive Psychology 2019

Character Strengths: Past, Presence, and Future (#205)

Willibald Ruch 1
  1. University of Zurich, Zurich, ZURICH, Switzerland

Strengths research has started at the 1999 Cayman taxonomy meeting ("The Roots of A Positive Life") where 17 characteristics were discussed that should enable a “good life” and three categories of positive outcome (“fulfilments”) measures were proposed. In subsequent meetings, the notions of strengths and core virtues were introduced leading to a model. In 2004 Peterson and Seligman then presented their influential “Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification” and subsequently presented the first wave of instruments for their assessment. In the meantime, many studies were published using the instruments and validating strengths in a variety of settings and in different cultures. Also, applications are blossoming in different fields. Yet several assumptions are unresolved or remained untested, and others have not been addressed yet. How do the strengths relate to the perception of a good character? What is the relation between strengths and core virtues? What is the scientific status of signature strengths? Do strengths indeed contribute to various (e.g., subjective, objective and societal) fulfillments that constitute the good life, for oneself and for others? How does character relate to personality? The talk will address these and similar questions and address the issues that need further scientific scrutiny.