Positive Psychology

UNIT 4 CHARACTER STRENGTHS AND and Indian

VIRTUES: INTERPERSONAL Psychology

STRENGTHS AND WELL-BEING*

Structure
4.1 Learning Objectives
4.2 Introduction
4.3 Concept of Character Strengths
4.4 VIA Classification of Strengths and Virtues
4.4.1 Other Classification of Strengths

4.5 Interpersonal Strengths and Well-being

4.5.1 Forgiveness

4.5.2 Gratitude

4.5.3 Kindness

4.5.3.1 Compassion and Altruism

4.5.4 Empathy

4.6 Let Us Sum Up

4.7 Key Words
4.8 Answers to Self Assessment Questions
4.9 Unit End Questions
4.10 References
4.11 Suggested Readings

4.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After studying this Unit, you would be able to:
• Explain the concept of strengths and virtues;
• Differentiate between strengths and other related constucts;
• Describe the VIA classifications of strengths; and
• Analyze specific interpersonal strengths such as forgiveness, gratitude,
kindness, compassion, altruism, and empathy, and their impact on well-
being.

4.2 INTRODUCTION
Take two pieces of paper. On the top of the first paper write ‘List 1’ and list
down all your strengths. Use your mobile phone to time yourself for one minute.
Stop writing at the end of one minute.
65
Dr. Janhavi Devdutt, Clinical Psychologist, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi
*

Arabia
Positive Psychology: Now, take the other paper and write ‘List 2’ on the top. Here, list down all your
An Introduction weaknesses. Again, time yourself for one minute. Stop writing when the minute
is over.
Now hold both the lists in front of you. Which list is longer – list 1 or 2?
If you are an exception, then perhaps List 1 is longer than List 2. Which means
you could recall more strengths than weaknesses. But if you are like most
people, chances are that List 2 is longer than List 1. This means that in the
same amount of time, people can recall their weaknesses or shortcomings more
quickly and easily than their strengths. On the other hand, we often struggle to
remember what we are good at - our talents, strengths and virtues.
Why is that? Because we are conditioned to think that way. As children, our
parents pointed out our mistakes so that we could correct ourselves. In school, if
we were weak at Maths, Science or History, our teachers told us to work harder
at them. As adults, our bosses tell us to learn skills that we need for a job but
do not have. From an evolutionary perspective too, our brains are hardwired
to detect imperfections, problems or threats in our environment so that we can
overcome or avoid them. None of this is necessarily bad. On the contrary, we
do need to correct our mistakes, improve ourselves, learn skills required to do
our work better, and keep ourselves safe from dangerous situations. However,
because of this conditioning, we tend to pay less attention to our talents, strengths
and virtues than we should. In fact, we often downplay our strengths so as not to
appear boastful! Awareness, acknowledgement and recognition of our strengths
and virtues can play a significant role in enhancing our well-being.

4.3 CONCEPT OF CHARACTER STRENGTHS

For more than half a century, psychology and psychiatry focussed on answering
the question: “What makes us mentally ill?”; leading to the creation of the
American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders (DSM, now in its fifth version) and the World Health
Organization’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD, currently in its
11th version). However, this fixation with ‘fixing’ all that is wrong with the
human mind led psychologists to overlook one significant question: “What
makes us mentally well?” In 1998, in his Presidential Address at the American
Psychological Association, Martin Seligman stated, “Psychology is not just
the study of weakness and damage, it is also the study of strength and virtue.
Treatment is not just fixing what is broken, it is nurturing what is best within
ourselves” (Seligman, 1998).
• Defining Character Strengths
A strength can be defined as a natural capacity for behaving, thinking, or
feeling in a way that allows for optimal functioning & performance in the
pursuit of valued outcomes (Linley & Harrington, 2006). It is something that
an individual has a natural inclination towards. However, environmental factors
and experiences may nurture and support the development of specific strengths
or hinder their development, e.g., a child feels motivated to pursue her/his
creative instincts if there is encouragement from significant others rather than
ignoring or disregarding the child’s original thinking.
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What Strengths are Not Character Strengths
and Virtues:
 Talents (what we naturally do well): These are naturally occurring patterns Interpersonal
of thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. They are potential strengths. Strengths and Well-
being
 Skills (what we train ourselves to do): These are specific competencies we
develop or acquire because they are needed to do our job well, relate better
with people or the environment, e.g., computer skills, communication skills,
driving skills, etc. Character strengths can push us to building specific skills.
The strength of the love for learning can drive us to learning computer skills
which also gives us an edge in the job market.
 Interests (our passions): preference towards certain activities or goals that
are significant to the individual. Character strengths and interests are closely
linked. We might choose interests that give the opportunity to display our
strengths. For example, interest in civil services because it helps me to use
my strength of leadership.
 Resources (our external supports): these are systems available in our
environment that help us to live well, e.g., social network of family and
friends, access to health and education etc. We use our character strengths
(like gratitude, empathy, and social intelligence) to build and maintain these
resources.
 Values (what we internally hold dear): internalized goals and desires that
are socially and morally approved. Strengths are values in action. When
our values get translated into behaviour, we are displaying our character
strengths.
• Significance of Character Strengths
The global Gallup Poll shows that most people, across countries and cultures
think that focusing on weaknesses will help them improve more than focusing
on strengths (Hodges & Clifton, 2004). However, research on the significance
of strengths, across cultures, suggests that recognizing, developing, and using
your strengths have manifold benefits.

Benefits of Using Character Strengths

• brings about greater understanding, perceptivity, and perspective in your
life
• provides a sense of direction
• creates a feeling of vitality and energy
• helps to buffer against stress
• generates hope and optimism
• enhances confidence and self-esteem
• fills one with a sense of joy and fulfilment
• increases motivation and helps achieve one’s goals
• Improves engagement and performance at work
Source: (Clifton & Anderson, 2001–02) 67
Positive Psychology: Thus putting our strengths to use in the personal, professional, and social spheres
An Introduction helps us in achieving our goals more effectively and efficiently. Does this mean
we ignore our weaknesses? Not at all! While strengths research suggests that
one’s greatest chances of success lie in areas of one’s strengths, it does not
imply that one should ignore one’s weaknesses. In fact, it is not always possible
or even prudent to do so. After all, a salesman who does not enjoy the challenge
of meeting new people; in other words, is weak on ‘woo’ (winning others
over), will be in danger of losing his job. Thus, strengths-based programs focus
on helping individuals to maximise their strengths and to determine how best to
manage their weaknesses.
Self Assessment Questions 1
1. Which of the following is true?
a) Strengths allow us to function at our maximum potential.
b) Strengths are fixed and unchangeable.
c) Skills are abilities that we naturally possess.
d) None of the above
2. Which of the following is not true?
a) We should focus more on our strengths than our weaknesses.
b) We should ignore our weaknesses and not worry about them.
c) We should develop our strengths and learn to manage our
weaknesses.
d) None of the above
3. How do strengths relate to values?

4.4 VIA CLASSIFICATION OF STRENGTHS AND

VIRTUES
With a mission to set right the skewed focus of psychology on solely negative
aspects of human life and functioning, Christopher Peterson and Martin
Seligman (Peterson & Seligman, p.4, 2004) created their own “manual of
the sanities” which focused on what is good about people, specifically on the
character strengths that allow for a good life. They devised the Values in Action
(VIA) framework to conceptualize character strengths - it was their handbook
for human health and flourishing.
They defined character strengths as a universally recognized subset of morally
valued personality traits (Peterson & Seligman, 2004). Peterson and Seligman
generated an exhaustive list of virtues and strengths that were common across
cultures by using various methods including literature survey, deliberation with
leading scholars in the field, and refering to ancient religious and philosophical
texts. They refined this list of hundreds of strengths thus obtained based on ten
criteria. This resulted in the identification of twenty-four character strengths,
that are grouped under six virtues (which are the core universal characteristics
68 emphasized by philosophers and religious leaders).
Wisdom – this virtue incorporates strengths related to the acquisition and use Character Strengths
of knowledge. and Virtues:
Interpersonal
Courage – these strengths involve the exercise of will to accomplish goals in the Strengths and Well-
being
face of internal or external opposition.
Love, humanity – interpersonal strengths that involve inclination towards
forming connections with others.
Justice – civic strengths that contribute to society.
Temperance – these strengths buffer us against excesses.
Transcendence – these strengths help to establish a meaningful connection with
the larger universe.
Table 4.1 Virtues and Character Strengths according to the VIA
Classification

Wisdom and Knowledge

Creativity: Original, adaptive, ingenuity, seeing and doing things in different
ways.
Curiosity: Exploration, interest, novelty-seeking, openness to experience;
finding subjects and topics fascinating.
Open-mindedness: judgment, critical thinking, thinking things through and
examining them from all sides; not jumping to conclusions; openness to
changing incorrect/false perceptions and beliefs.
Love of learning: Mastering new skills, topics, and systematically acquiring
knowledge
Perspective: Wisdom, ability to provide wise counsel to others; seeing the
big picture.
Courage
Bravery: Valor, not shrinking from threat, challenge, difficulty, or pain;
speaking up for what’s right
Persistence: Perseverance, industriousness; finishing what one starts;
persisting despite obstacles; taking pleasure in completing tasks
Integrity: Authenticity, honesty; presenting oneself in a genuine way and
acting in a sincere way; taking responsibility for one’s feelings and actions
Vitality: zest, enthusiasm, vigor, energy; approaching life with excitement
and energy; not doing things half-heartedly
Humanity
Love: Both loving and being loved; genuine warmth; valuing close relations
involving sharing and caring
Kindness: Generosity, nurturance, care, compassion, altruistic love; doing
favors and good deeds for others; helping them; taking care of them
Social intelligence: Being aware of the motives and feelings of other people
and oneself; knowing what to do to fit into different social situations; knowing
what makes other people tick

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Positive Psychology:
An Introduction Justice
Teamwork, citizenship, loyalty: Contributing to a group effort
Fairness: Adhering to principles of justice, not allowing feelings to bias
decisions about others
Leadership: Organizing group activities to get things done, positively
influencing others
Temperance
Forgiveness and mercy: Mercy, accepting others’ shortcomings, giving
people a second chance, letting go of hurt
Humility / Modesty: Letting one’s accomplishments speak for themselves;
not seeking the spotlight; not regarding oneself as more special than one is
Prudence: Careful about one’s choices; not taking undue risks; not saying or
doing things that might later be regretted
Self-regulation: Self-control, disciplined, managing impulses, emotions, and
vices
Transcendence
Appreciation of beauty and excellence: Awe and wonder for beauty,
admiration for skill and moral greatness
Gratitude: Being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen;
expressing thanks, feeling blessed
Hope: Optimism, positive future-mindedness, expecting the best & working
to achieve it
Humour: Playfulness, bringing smiles to others, light-hearted – seeing the
lighter side
Spirituality: Religiousness, faith, having coherent beliefs about the higher
purpose and meaning of the universe
Source: VIA Institute of Character https://www.viacharacter.org/character-strengths

Signature Strengths
Every human being possesses each of the 24 character strengths. However,
some strengths are more dominant than the others. These are called signature
strengths. Positive Psychologists emphasize the development and use of one’s
signature strengths. These are character strengths that an individual possesses,
recognizes and uses frequently in various aspects of their life. Signature
strengths are those that represent ‘the real you’, they bring with them a sense
of authenticity. There are three key features that can help us recognize our
signature strengths (Niemiec, 2018):
• Essential - our signature strengths feel like an integral part of who we
are. These strengths represent our positive traits. Others may use these to
describe us.
• Effortless - using our strengths feels natural and easy. Doing an activity that
feels effortless and experiencing a sense of flow in the process indicates
that we are using our strength.

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• Energizing - expressing signature strengths is invigorating and intrinsically Character Strengths
motivating. You feel energized doing activities that put these strengths to and Virtues:
Interpersonal
use, and you look forward to engaging in such activities again. Strengths and Well-
being
4.4.1 Other Classification of Strengths
In addition to the VIA classification of strengths, there are other classification
systems also which have contributed to the field of identifying human strengths
and nurturing them.
• Clifton’s StrengthsFinder
Donald Clifton and Edward Anderson from the Gallup Corporation (Clifton
& Anderson, 2001–02) developed another popular method of conceptualizing
strengths known as Clifton’s StrengthsFinder or Gallup’s StrengthsFinder. They
defined a strength as the ability to provide consistent, near perfect performance
in a given activity (Hodges & Clifton, 2004). According to them, a strength is a
combination of talent, knowledge and skill.

Strength = Talent + Knowledge and Skill

This definition too highlights the instinctual aspect of strengths in that it

comprises a natural talent. A talent represents a capacity to do something.
Your talents enable you to excel not once, but repeatedly. Therefore, your
achievements and successes are directly related to your talents. Knowledge
comprises facts and lessons learnt. Skill refers to the specific steps required to
perform a particular activity. A talent when polished, honed and built upon by
acquiring the necessary competence and expertise becomes a strength. Thus, for
a talent to become a strength one needs to invest time and energy in it, practice
and develop it. Talent, knowledge and skills are all important for building a
strength. However, talents take precedence. They are the starting point for a
strength, are innate and cannot be developed.
Clifton StrengthsFinder identifies 34 strengths or talents mainly in the work
setting whereas the VIA classification identifies universal strengths that are
applicable across life domains.
• The Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets
The Search Institute’s Developmental Assets (Benson et al., 1998) framework
focuses on children - what makes children healthy, resilient and flourish?
Developmental Assets are the relationships, opportunities, and character
strengths that are strongly related to children and youths’ well-being (Scales,
Roehlkepartain, & Shramko, 2017). There are certain external resources in our
environment that support and promote psychological growth, resilience and
thriving in children. For example, family support, adult role models, positive
peer influences, safe neighbourhoods, etc. There are also internal resources
specific to every child that nurture healthy psychological development, e.g.,
high self-esteem, values such as honesty and integrity, social and interpersonal
capabilities, etc. These internal and external variables are categorized into
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Positive Psychology: two groups of 20 assets each. Together they comprise important factors that
An Introduction contribute to positive youth development. In other words, they foster the
development of young people into healthy, caring and responsible adults.
Higher levels of these developmental assets have been linked to several positive
outcomes in both males and females, across racial/ethnic backgrounds, and
socio-cultural contexts. These include better grades in school, positive emotions,
greater engagement in community activities, better health, ability to delay
gratification, and decreased engagement in risky behaviours like violence and
alcohol/drug use (Scales, Roehlkepartain & Shramko, 2017; Roehlkepartain,
2015).
Self Assessment Questions 2
1. A naturally occurring pattern of thought, feeling or behaviour is
called__ .
a) Talent
b) Theme
c) Strength
d) All the above
2. The ability to provide consistent, near-perfect performance in a given
activity:
a) Talent
b) Theme
c) Strength
d) Passion
3. Which one of the following is a criteria to identify a strength?
a) When you display a strength, it makes people around you
jealous.
b) A strength is valued because it garners appreciation from
people.
c) Strengths are mutually exclusive.
d) None of the above
4. What are signature strengths?

4.5 INTERPERSONAL STRENGTHS AND WELL-

BEING
In this section we will look at specific character strengths that are valuable
in the interpersonal domain and contribute to psychological well-being. These
strengths enhance our social connectedness, build our social resources and
enrich our interpersonal relationships. These include:
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• Forgiveness Character Strengths
and Virtues:
• Gratitude Interpersonal
Strengths and Well-
• Kindness being

• Empathy

4.5.1 Forgiveness
Take a minute and think about a time when someone (a friend, sibling,
acquaintance, classmate, etc.) said something hurtful to you or wronged you.
Maybe they borrowed your bike and got into an accident, said something nasty
behind your back or bullied/harassed you. How did it make you feel? Upset?
Angry? Maybe you felt like you wanted to ‘give it back to them’, ‘teach them
a lesson’. Or perhaps you wished for some misfortune to befall them. In some
situations, however, you might have thought, “It’s alright, everyone makes
mistakes”, “Let me not be too harsh on them”, “That’s a mean thing to say, but
she’s human”. In other words, you chose to forgive them. Forgiveness is one’s
capacity to let go. To let bygones be bygones without being driven by the need
to seek revenge, hold grudges or harbour resentment against the wrong done
towards us.
Forgiveness is a character strength that belongs to the virtue category of
temperance. Temperance refers to moderation. This virtue category includes
those strengths that allow us to moderate or restrain our thoughts, feelings
and behaviour. Thus, the strengths of temperance ‘temper’ our responses and
prevent us from extremes. Specifically, the positive trait of forgiveness protects
us from the excess of hatred. It is a character trait that is highly valued across
cultures.
Forgiveness may not be easy to practice every time. It may not have an
immediate tangible outcome. It may not result in discernible benefits to the
one who practices it. And it certainly does not prevent future transgressions.
Yet it is intensely fulfilling. It is the ability to let go of an unpleasant situation,
not because of internal states like shame/fear/guilt, or external motivation like
bribes or threats, but because of a positive strength of character. While the
negative feelings of resentment, animosity, vengeance, etc. leave us feeling
empty inside, practicing forgiveness brings a sense of satisfaction and peace at
having done the right thing. It is an adaptive interpersonal strength as it bolsters
social relationships. It is easier to forgive if one can take the point of view of the
transgressor. Thus, empathy facilitates forgiveness. Other character strengths
like hope, kindness and spirituality may also facilitate forgiveness.
The Hindi movie Dor provides an example of forgiveness where the
widowed protagonist, Meera, initially devastated and filled with hatred,
eventually forgives her husband’s alleged murderer. The movie depicts,
beautifully, Meera’s journey from being tormented by negative feelings of
grief, bitterness and animosity towards the wife of her husband’s alleged
murderer to experiencing relief, freedom and peace when she decides to
forgive him.

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Positive Psychology: Forgiveness is not the same as pardoning, condoning or forgetting. Pardoning is
An Introduction a legal concept, often used in the context of the administration of justice. While
administration of justice is a social phenomenon, forgiveness is an individual/
internal process. Condoning refers to justifying the offense or treating it as
acceptable or ignoring it completely, e.g., when you see someone stealing in a
shop and you just look the other way. Similarly, forgetting removes awareness
about the transgression. True forgiving does not involve a wilful acceptance
of the shortcomings/imperfections of others and giving them another chance.
Forgiving also needs to be distinguished from reconciliation i.e., restoration of
the relationship. Even though the latter may be a related outcome of the act of
forgiveness.  
Forgiveness and Well-Being
True forgiveness reduces anxiety, brings a sense of inner peace and strengthens
the immune system (Weir, 2017). Individuals with high levels of forgiveness
also show higher levels of positive emotions and social integration (Long et
al., 2020). They are also more prone to donate towards charity or engage in
volunteering (Karremans et al., 2005). Thus, the benefits of this character
strength are seen at the individual, interpersonal and societal level.
Forgiveness can be cultivated. Spiritual orientation and religious beliefs promote
forgiveness. Psychotherapeutic interventions with a positive psychological
orientation have focussed on helping clients develop empathic and perspective
taking skills which promote forgiveness. Reed & Enright (2006) report an
intervention programme called Forgiveness Therapy consisting of four phases:
(i) exploring one’s negative feelings about the offense, (ii) deciding to forgive,
(iii) working towards developing a better understanding of the offender, and
(iv) discovering empathy and compassion for him or her.

4.5.2 Gratitude
Gratitude belongs to the virtue category of Transcendence. Transcendence is
the act of rising above something to a superior state. The character strengths
listed under this category are those that help us to connect to the larger universe
and provide meaning to our lives.
Gratitude includes a sense of appreciation towards someone or something, a
sense of beneficence towards the other, and a motivation to act kindly towards
the other (Fitzgerald, 1998). Simply put, gratitude is a sense of thankfulness
in response to something received which can be tangible, e.g., a birthday card
made by your little niece; or intangible, e.g., cool evening rain after a blazing
summer day. In both cases, one experiences a sense of grace, of being blessed
by the kindness of a human being, object or event. The experience of gratitude
generates several positive emotions. We may feel humbled or inspired to be more
kind ourselves. Gratitude fosters kindness and love, and therefore contributes to
deeper interpersonal connections.
Personal gratitude refers to thankfulness that one feels and expresses towards
an individual for the psychological or instrumental help they have provided.
Transpersonal gratitude transcends the person. It refers to thankfulness that
74 one feels and expresses towards a higher power, God or life.
Trait gratitude is what we refer to as the character strength of gratitude. It Character Strengths
involves a stable, long term, sustained attitude and daily practice of gratitude. and Virtues:
Interpersonal
State gratitude refers to the momentary feelings of gratitude that an individual Strengths and Well-
being
experiences in response to specific situations.
Gratitude is valued across cultures and religions. An example is the tradition
of Thanksgiving celebrated in countries across the world! In India, various
regional festivals celebrate gratitude, e.g., pongal (the harvest festival of Tamil
nadu) is the Tamil equivalent of Thanksgiving.
Gratitude and Well-being
Psychological benefits of practicing gratitude have been observed in the
following ways:
• greater optimism
• greater religiousness and spirituality
• strengthening of interpersonal relationships
• improved self-regulation
• enhanced happiness and well-being
• better physical and mental health
Gratitude was found positively correlated with well-being and negatively
correlated with psychological distress in University students (Mason, 2019).
Tan et al. (2021) reported the significance of gratitude practice in alleviating
psychological pain and suffering associated with physical diseases as well.
Gratitude interventions have also shown an increase in sport satisfaction and
decrease in athlete burnout in college-level student athletes (Gabana et al.,
2019). Some of the gratitude interventions include (i) ‘gratitude visit’ (writing
and delivering a letter to someone who had helped you significantly at some
point in your life), and (ii) making a list of ‘three good things’ in your life every
day for a week. Overall, an attitude of gratitude has significant benefits in terms
of individual, interpersonal and social well-being.
Self Assessment Questions 3
1. Forgiveness belongs to the virtue category of _____________.
2. Forgiveness means pardoning someone. True / False.
3. Explain transpersonal gratitude.
4. Describe state gratitude.
5. What is gratitude visit?

4.5.3 Kindness
Kindness is a character strength under the virtue category of Humanity.
Strengths of humanity include positive traits that are manifested in the form
of caring one-to-one relationships with others. Kindness means being nice to
others - showing compassion and care, being concerned about their well-being 75
Positive Psychology: and performing good deeds for them. This care, affection and attention directed
An Introduction towards the other is for their own sake as human beings, not out of a sense
of duty or principle. Acts of kindness could be big (e.g., donating blood in
the hospital) or small (holding the door open for the person entering behind
you). These could also be directed towards a stranger (e.g., offering your seat
to an elderly person while riding on a bus) or be performed within the context
of deeper interpersonal relationships (e.g., taking care of an ailing parent).
Kindness involves giving your time, energy, money to support others. Kindness,
generosity, nurturance, care, compassion and altruistic love describe a type of
other-orientation; an orientation where you give attention and affection to the
other for their own sake and not because they serve some purpose for you.
Thus, acts of true kindness are not performed with an expectation of a favour
being returned, even though reciprocity may be one of the outcomes. In that
sense, such loving compassion is unconditional, much like the ‘unconditional
positive regard’ Carl Rogers spoke about.
4.5.3.1 Compassion and Altruism
Compassion, experienced as loving kindness, involves taking action to reduce
the other’s suffering. You feel a tenderness towards the pain of the other and
do something to provide relief. This relief could be instrumental (e.g., feeding/
clothing a homeless person) or emotional (e.g., being there for another person
in their time of grief). In Hindu traditions, compassion is called daya and is one
of the three central virtues along with charity and self-control. In the Buddhist
tradition, compassion is understood as karuna. It is at the heart of the Buddha’s
teachings. Altruism is understood as selflessness. Truly altruistic acts that go
beyond generosity towards our kith and kin, or an expectation of reciprocity can
help us to evolve spiritually. True selflessness removes the egoistic boundaries
between ‘me and them’ and sees all humanity as one.
Kindness and Well-Being
Studies have shown that kindness, compassion, generosity, and altruism have
significant impact on well-being. Symeonidou et al. (2019) studied the effects
of a kindness intervention on subjective well-being. Adult participants were
divided into two groups. The experimental group was asked to record their kind
actions daily for 7 days along with their feelings and thoughts associated with
those actions. Participants in the control group were asked to write their daily
routine also every day for a week. All participants were also asked to complete
a subjective well-being measure pre-, post- and 2-months after the intervention.
Results showed that subjective well-being was significantly enhanced for
participants who received the kindness intervention.
An example of kindness in action is volunteerism. Volunteering for social
causes not only benefits the cause/beneficiary but also has implications on
the wellbeing of the benefactor. It enhances the psychological, emotional, and
social well-being of volunteers (Balashov et al., 2018). Volunteering enhances
our connections with others, gives a sense of mastery, boosts self-esteem, and
adds meaning and purpose to our life.

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4.5.4 Empathy Character Strengths
and Virtues:
Empathy as a trait is closely related to the character strengths of forgiveness Interpersonal
and gratitude (Breen et al., 2010). Individuals high on empathy are aware of Strengths and Well-
being
and can understand other people’s feelings by putting themselves in their shoes.
Empathy allows us to understand situations and experiences from another’s
perspective. Empathy is different from sympathy. When you feel sad for a
person, it is sympathy. When you feel sad with a person, it is empathy. Thus,
you can sense and share a person’s feelings. Empathy allows us to be in tune
with the feelings of others. As an empathetic person, you may not necessarily
condone the choices made by the other, but you understand them. For example,
you may not approve of/justify your best friend cheating on her boyfriend, but
you are able to understand her perspective.
Thus, empathy requires both cognitive (i.e., perspective taking) and emotional
(i.e., warm feelings) skills for accurate understanding and communication of
that understanding to the other. Hence empathy is a valuable character trait for
people in helping professions like doctors, counsellors, psychotherapists, etc.
Empathy and Well-being
Empathy is increasingly being studied in the context of the workplace. It
has been found that employees with empathic managers show lesser somatic
complaints (Scott et al., 2010). An empathic individual would not only sense
the employees’ negative emotions, but also be attuned to positive ones, e.g., an
employee’s happiness and excitement at having successfully completed a big
project would be sensed and shared by an empathic manager. It has implications
for our relational aspects at personal and social field also.
Self Assessment Questions 4
1. The acts of true kindness are performed with an expectation of a
favour being returned. True / False
2. In the Buddhist tradition, compassion is called as _________.
3. Altruism refers to _____________.
4. How is empathy different from sympathy?
5. What is compassion?

4.6 LET US SUM UP

In this Unit, you learned about the concept of character strengths which are
naturally occurring patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving that help us
to maximise performance and achieve our full potential. They constitute our
innate talents which gets refined and developed with the help of knowledge
and skills. One of the most popularly used classifications of strengths is the
Values in Action (VIA) Classification of Character Strengths and Virtues. Other
classification systems of strengths are the CliftonStrengths® and the Search
Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets. The VIA lists strengths that relate to nearly
all domains in our life. CliftonStrengths® pertain to strengths that are especially
useful in the work domain. 40 Developmental Assets comprise of internal and
77
Positive Psychology: external resources that facilitate positive youth development. The strengths of
An Introduction forgiveness, gratitude, kindness and empathy are particularly valuable in the
interpersonal domain. These interpersonal strengths are explained and their
implications for our well-being are also highlighted.

4.7 KEY WORDS

Strength is a natural capacity for behaving, thinking, or feeling in a way
that allows for optimal functioning & performance in the pursuit of valued
outcome.
Talents are naturally occurring patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
They are potential strengths.
Skills are specific competencies we develop or acquire because they are needed
to do our job well, related better with people or the environment.
Resources our systems available in our environment that help us to live well.
Values refer to internalized goals and desires that are socially and morally
approved.
Virtue refers to a quality or characteristic that has positive connotations in a
particular society and is considered beneficial to psychological health.
Signature strengths refer to those character strengths that are most essential
to who we are.
Transpersonal gratitude refers to a feeling of thankfulness expressed towards
a higher power, God or life.
Trait gratitude is a stable, long term, sustained attitude and daily practice of
gratitude.
State gratitude refers to momentary feelings of gratitude that an individual
experiences in response to specific situations.

4.8 ANSWERS TO SELF ASSESSMENT

QUESTIONS
Answers to Self Assessment Questions 1
1. (a)
2. (b)
3. Strengths are values in action. When our values get translated into behaviour,
we are displaying our character strengths.
Answers to Self Assessment Questions 2
1. (a)
2. (c)
3. (c)
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4. Signature strengths are character strengths that an individual possesses, Character Strengths
recognizes and uses frequently in various aspects of their life. and Virtues:
Interpersonal
Answers to Self Assessment Questions 3 Strengths and Well-
being
1. temperance
2. False
3. Transpersonal gratitude refers to thankfulness that one feels and expresses
towards a higher power, God or life.
4. State gratitude refers to the momentary feelings of gratitude that an
individual experiences in response to specific situations.
5. Gratitude visit refers to writing and delivering a letter to someone who had
helped them significantly at some point in their lives.
Answers to Self Assessment Questions 4
1. False
2. Karuna
3. selflessness
4. Empathy refers to understanding situations and experiences from another’s
perspective. Empathy differs from sympathy, e.g., when you feel sad for a
person, it is sympathy. When you feel sad with a person, it is empathy.
5. Compassion, experienced as loving kindness, involves taking action to
reduce the other’s suffering.

4.9 UNIT END QUESTIONS

1. Explain character strengths and related constructs.
2. What do you understand by interpersonal strengths? Why are they
beneficial?
3. What features help us to recognize our signature strengths?
4. What does forgiveness involve? How can it be cultivated?
5. Discuss kindness as an interpersonal stregth and its implications for the
well-being of the individual.

4.10 REFERENCES
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(2018). Psychological, emotional and social wellbeing and volunteering: A
study on Italian and Ukrainian university students. Youth Voice Journal, 18,
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Benson, P. L., Leffert, N., Scales, P. C., & Blyth, D. A. (1998). Beyond
the ‘village’ rhetoric: Creating healthy communities for children and
adolescents. Applied Developmental Science, 2(3), 138-159.
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Positive Psychology: Breen, W. E., Kashdan, T. B., Lenser, M. L., & Fincham, F. D. (2010). Gratitude
An Introduction and forgiveness: Convergence and divergence on self-report and informant
ratings. Personality and Individual Differences, 49(8), 932-937.
Clifton, D. O., & Anderson, E. C. (2001–02). Strengths Quest. Washington,
DC: Gallup Organization.
Fitzgerald, P. (1998). Gratitude and justice. Ethics, 109, 119–153.
Gabana, N. T., Steinfeldt, J., Wong, Y. J., Chung, Y. B., & Svetina, D. (2019).
Attitude of gratitude: Exploring the implementation of a gratitude intervention
with college athletes. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 31(3), 273-284.
Hodges, T. D., & Clifton, D. O. (2004). Strengths-Based Development in
Practice. In P. A. Linley & S. Joseph (Eds.), Positive psychology in practice
(pp. 256–268). New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Karremans, J. C., Van Lange, P. A. M., & Holland, R. W. (2005). Forgiveness
and Its associations with prosocial thinking, feeling, and doing beyond the
relationship with the offender. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin,
31(10), 1315–1326. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167205274892
Linley, P. A., & Harrington, S. (2006). Playing to your strengths. The
Psychologist, 19, 86-89. Retrieved from https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/
volume-19/edition-2/playing-your-strengths
Long, K. N., Worthington, E. L., VanderWeele, T. J., & Chen, Y. (2020).
Forgiveness of others and subsequent health and well-being in mid-life: a
longitudinal study on female nurses. BMC Psychology, 8(1), 1-11. https://doi.
org/10.1186/s40359-020-00470-w
Mason, H. D. (2019). Gratitude, well-being and psychological distress among
South African university students. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 29(4), 354-
360, DOI: 10.1080/14330237.2019.1647492
Niemiec, R. M. (2018). Character strengths interventions: A field-guide for
practitioners. Boston: Hogrefe.
Peterson, C., & Seligman, M.E.P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues:
A handbook and classification. Washington, DC: American Psychological
Association.
Reed, G. L., & Enright, R. D. (2006). The effects of forgiveness therapy on
depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress for women after spousal emotional
abuse. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74(5), 920–929. https://
doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.74.5.920
Roehlkepartain, E. C. (2015). 25 years of developmental assets: Personal
reflections (and a little data). Minneapolis, MN: Search Institute.
Scales, P. C., Roehlkepartain, E. C., & Shramko, M. (2017). Aligning youth
development theory, measurement, and practice across cultures and contexts:
Lessons from use of the developmental assets profile. Child Indicators Research,
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Scott, B. A., Colquitt, J. A., Paddock, E. L., & Judge, T. A. (2010). A daily Character Strengths
investigation of the role of manager empathy on employee well-being. and Virtues:
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Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 113(2), 127-140. Strengths and Well-
being
Seligman, M.E.P. (1998). Building human strength: psychology’s forgotten
mission. Presidential Address, American Psychological Association. Retrieved
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Symeonidou, D., Moraitou, D., Pezirkianidis, C., & Stalikas, A. (2019).
Promoting subjective wellbeing through a kindness intervention. Hellenic
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Tan, T. T., Tan, M. P., Lam, C. L., Loh, E. C., Capelle, D. P., Zainuddin, S. I.,
Ang, B T., Lim, M. A., Lai, N. Z., Tung, Y. Z., Yee, H. A., Ng, C. G., Ho G. F.,
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Supportive & Palliative Care. doi: 10.1136/bmjspcare-2021-003068
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on Psychology, 48(1), 31-33.

4.11 SUGGESTED READINGS

Niemiec, R. M., & Pearce, R. (2020). The practice of character strengths:
unifying definitions, principles, and exploration of what’s soaring, emerging,
and ripe with potential in science and in practice. Frontiers in Psychology, 11.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.590220

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