性格优势与美德研究的现状、困境与出路

性格优势和美德是源于“价值实践分类体系”同一架构中不同层次的概念。过去十年的研究表明性格优势对个体身心健康和幸福感有积极贡献。但目前该领域绝大多数研究着眼于性格优势,而忽略了该体系中更普遍、更核心的美德。美德的结构差异性可能阻碍了相关研究的进行和比较。本文认为“兼顾文化共通性与文化特殊性方法”可能是解决途径之一,并引用已有研究进行佐证,发现亲和力、生命力和意志力可能是一个具有普遍意义的美德结构。     

繁殖感的个体差异及其影响因素

繁殖感是成年中期心理社会发展的主要任务,表现在生产能力、养育后代、人际和社会关怀以及领导能力等方面,包含关注、承诺、行动等维度,并以多种形式存在于生命周期的多个阶段。近来研究表明,繁殖感强调个体积极的存在和发展模式,对人际关系与社会和谐也具有促进作用。繁殖感的个体差异可表现在状态水平、年龄、性别角色等方面,主要受社会文化、个体内在期望以及父母教养方式等因素的影响。未来研究将从测量方法的整合,繁殖感与主观幸福感的关系等方面展开。     

品格优势及其影响结果

品格优势是积极心理学中的一个核心概念, 具体指通过认知、情感和行为反映出来的一组积极人格特质, 也是促进个体身心健康与幸福感, 缓解抑郁与压力的良好资源。通过实验干预等方法的研究表明, 品格优势对个体(积极体验、身心健康、员工创造力、工作呼唤)和组织(工作绩效、领导力、组织有效性)均能产生积极的影响。不过, 目前品格优势与积极构念的关系研究较多, 而品格优势要素之间及其与才干优势之间的关系研究很少, 研究方法也较为单一。未来研究应重点关注以上问题。     

青少年的性格异常与矫正

性格是表现人的态度和行为风格的心理特征。异常性格,将会影响个人的品行与进步,影响正常的人际关系,个体将不能适应正常的学校和社会活动。青少年中常见的异常性格有以下几种：     

工作压力反应及其与领导方式的关系研究

本研究通过对537位工作者的调查,探讨工作压力反应的类型及其与领导方式的关系,结果显示:工作压力反应存在四种类型,分别是积极压力反应类型、高压力反应类型、低压力反应类型以及消极压力反应类型。直接领导的不同领导方式与个体不同的工作压力反应类型存在关联。混合式领导方式下的个体积极压力反应最高,消极压力反应最低。变革型领导和交易型领导下的个体积极压力反应和消极压力反应无显著差异。     

对乙肝患者群体认知的矛盾态度:行为与ERP证据

采用GNAT范式并结合事件相关电位（ERP）,考查不同矛盾状态（高矛盾VS低矛盾）被试对特殊群体的态度及其在行为、脑加工机制上的差异。结果表明：（1）个体对于乙肝患者存在矛盾态度;（2）高、低矛盾被试对乙肝患者的态度差异,主要表现在积极维度而非消极维度上。（3）N270的出现及LPC的差异表明,矛盾态度的加工是个体根据背景对预存性评价予以修正的过程。     

论学生的个性差异与有效教学方法

个性心理特征差异 个性心理特征是在个体身上表现出来的比较稳定的心理特点,包括智力;能力：气质;性格等几个方面。     

刻板印象提升与刻板印象促进

刻板印象提升指个体意识到外群体具有消极刻板印象, 而产生与受诋毁的外群体向下的社会比较, 以提高个体自我效能感和动机, 进而提高表现; 刻板印象促进是积极刻板印象被激活后的积极结果, 指当个体处在他们的积极刻板印象身份被激活的情境中, 表现上升的一种现象。在刻板印象提升与刻板印象促进概念论述的基础上, 重点探讨了调节变量和结果影响这两种联系, 并从相关概念、被试要求和心理机制这三方面论述了这两者的区别。最后, 指出未来研究应加强对二者的关注, 消除其在概念上的混淆, 开展相关心理与神经机制的研究, 以及结合刻板印象阻抗进行探讨。     

论个体竞争性的心理学研究

个体竞争性是个体在竞争意识、动机、认知、态度等方面表现出来的稳定的心理特征的总和。揭示个体竞争性发生、发展的机制及规律,有助于个体更好地适应当代竞争激烈的社会环境。目前的研究主要集中在过度性竞争、个人发展竞争以及它们与其它人格特征的关系上。其心理机制还没有统一的见解,需要进行多方面的整合。当前需要解决的问题是:正确看待竞争所带来的心理效应;积极建构个体竞争性的结构模型;编制多样化的测量工具。     

国外沉浸体验研究述评

沉浸体验是促使个体不厌其烦地反复进行同样的活动且能够在活动中获得充实感和愉悦感的一种正向的积极心理体验。沉浸体验在生活的各个领域均有表现,它是积极心理学研究的一项重要内容。近年来,国外关于沉浸体验的研究日益丰富。本文从沉浸体验的概念、理论模型及其国外已有研究等方面进行了概述。未来研究可以从本土化心理学视角出发,选择恰当的研究方法,更为深入地探讨沉浸体验模型在中国的实用性、沉浸体验的相关变量、产生的过程及其背后的生理机制研究。     

Character strengths predict resilience over and above positive affect,self-efficacy,optimism, social support,self-esteem,and life satisfaction

The incremental value of character strengths in the prediction of resilience, after the effects of other well-known resilience-related factors (i.e. positive affect, self-efficacy, optimism, social support, self-esteem, life satisfaction) and sociodemographic variables are accounted for, is examined. Using a cross-sectional design, participants (N = 363 adults) completed online measures of character strengths, resilience, and resilience-related factors. A principal component analysis of character strengths was conducted and five factors were extracted, which could be interpreted as emotional, interpersonal, intellectual, restraint, and theological strengths. All strengths factors, except theological strengths, yielded significant positive correlations with resilience. A hierarchical regression showed that strengths predicted an additional 3% of the variance in resilience over and above sociodemographic variables, positive affect, self-efficacy, optimism, social support, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. Emotional strengths and strengths of restraint were significant positive predictors. Implications, limitations, and future research are discussed.     

Positive Feelings at School: On the Relationships Between Students’ Character Strengths,School-Related Affect,and School Functioning

The present study was designed to examine the relationships between students’ character strengths, school-related affect, positive school functioning (i.e., motivation to learn, interest, and engagement at class), and school achievement following the “engine model of well-being” that is focusing on inputs (e.g., personality traits), processes (e.g., moods, emotions), and outcomes (e.g., engagement, accomplishments) within the context of well-being research. A sample of 196 children completed the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths for Youth, which assesses 24 character strengths, and the PANAS-C that assesses school-related positive and negative affect. Additionally, homeroom teachers rated students’ positive school functioning (i.e., motivation, engagement, and interest at school) and their overall school achievement. The character strengths of zest, love of learning, perseverance, and social intelligence showed the strongest positive correlations with school-related positive affect. Teamwork, hope, self-regulation, and love were substantially negatively correlated with school-related negative affect. Certain character strengths showed positive relationships with positive school functioning and overall school achievement. A path model, testing the “engine model of well-being”, found—additionally to direct effects—indirect relationships between character strengths and positive school functioning (through school-related positive affect), which in turn leads to higher school achievement. The presented findings show character strengths as meaningful resources in the schooling context. Character strengths emerge to be crucial for students to experience school-related positive affect, which in turn supports students’ positive school functioning and their overall school achievement. The results demonstrate the complex interplay between students’ personality traits, affect, school functioning, and achievement at school.     

Life Satisfaction and Character Strengths in Spanish Early Adolescents

This study of Spanish early adolescents aimed to extend knowledge about the relationship between character strengths and life satisfaction (LS) and to explore gender differences in the prediction of LS. A sample of 457 adolescents aged 11–14 years completed questionnaires to assess LS and 24 character strengths. Results from simple correlation analysis showed that 18 strengths were positively and significantly correlated with LS, the highest coefficients being those for love, hope, authenticity and persistence. However, since strengths are inter-correlated, regression modelling was performed in order to determine which of these strengths are the best predictors of LS, and to identify any gender differences in this association. The results showed that love and hope were the most relevant strengths for predicting LS, with a positive relationship being observed for both girls and boys. This finding highlights the importance of positive thinking and of maintaining positive relationships during early adolescence. Gender differences were observed, however, for authenticity as a predictor of LS. Specifically, this variable made a significant contribution to the model in girls, for whom higher scores on authenticity were associated with greater LS. This result is interpreted in terms of gender differences in the timing of maturation. The findings help to further our understanding of the association between subjective well-being and character strengths in early adolescence, a critical stage of human development. In addition, the results suggest that intervention programmes based on character strengths in this developmental stage should mainly target the so-called ‘strengths of the heart’.     

When the job is a calling: The role of applying one's signature strengths at work

This study investigates the role of applying the individual signature strengths at work for positive experiences at work (i.e. job satisfaction, pleasure, engagement, and meaning) and calling. A sample of 111 employees from various occupations completed measures on character strengths, positive experiences at work, and calling. Co-workers (N?=?111) rated the applicability of character strengths at work. Correlations between the applicability of character strengths and positive experiences at work decreased with intraindividual centrality of strengths (ranked strengths from the highest to the lowest). The level of positive experiences and calling were higher when four to seven signature strengths were applied at work compared to less than four. Positive experiences partially mediated the effect of the number of applied signature strengths on calling. Implications for further research and practice will be discussed.     

Gratitude and forgiveness: Convergence and divergence on self-report and informant ratings

Gratitude and forgiveness are theoretically linked character strengths that tend to be studied in isolation from other strengths. We examined gratitude and forgiveness in the same sample using self and confidant reports to better understand how strengths converge and diverge with personality factors, emotional vulnerabilities, and positive psychological processes. Data suggest that gratitude and forgiveness uniquely relate to personality factors, emotional vulnerabilities, and positive psychological processes with forgiveness evidencing stronger relations than gratitude. Forgiveness also appears to be more robust than gratitude due to the unique effects of forgiveness diminishing correlations between gratitude and other variables. Confidant data demonstrated that strengths were observable by others and related to observer perceptions of well-being. Results are discussed with an emphasis on the benefits of studying character strength profiles.     

From the Equator to the North Pole: A Study of Character Strengths

Recently, psychologists have begun to shift their research attention to positive topics historically overlooked by the profession. The study of character strengths is a major research interest of positive psychologists. A classification of 24 character strengths, called the Values in Action (VIA) Classification, has recently been developed, and the current study evaluates these character strengths across cultures. Among 123 members of the Kenyan Maasai, 71 Inughuit in Northern Greenland, and 519 University of Illinois students, we found high rates of agreement about the existence, desirability, and development of these strengths of character. Despite these strong similarities, there were differences between and within cultures in terms of gender, the perceived importance of specific strengths (such as modesty), and the existence of cultural institutions that promote each strength.     

Character Strengths and Life Satisfaction in Later Life: an Analysis of Different Living Conditions

The aim of this study was to explore the role of character strengths and their associations to life satisfaction in older people. We were interested in studying several transitions that are specific for older people: aging, retirement, living alone, and being widowed. We examined the relationships of these demographic characteristics and living conditions with character strengths and studied their effects on the association of character strengths with life satisfaction. In a cross-sectional analysis, 15,598 older adults (aged 46–93 years) who had completed measures on character strengths, life satisfaction, and demographic characteristics and living conditions were selected from an existing database. Overall, analyses revealed positive associations of most character strengths with age, and higher scores in most character strengths for the employed (vs. the retired) and those living with a partner (vs. those living alone), while only few relationships with being widowed (vs. being married) were observed. Further, the contribution of character strengths to life satisfaction generally decreased slightly with age, but increased for certain character strengths, such as modesty or prudence. Also, stronger relationships between several character strengths and life satisfaction were found for retired people and those living alone, while being widowed did not affect these relationships. The results demonstrate how character strengths might contribute to the life satisfaction of older adults in various living conditions and thereby offer a starting point for strengths-based programs in later life.

     

Positive psychology,the classification of character strengths and virtues,and issues of measurement

ABSTRACT

This essay raises concerns about positive psychology’s classification of character strengths and virtues and issues of measurement. Part I examines the process whereby the classification was compiled. Part II turns to issues of measurement and questions about positive psychologists’ sensitivity to variations in the meanings of the constructs they purport to measure, both within and across cultures. I argue that attempts to find a ‘deep structure’ of the character strengths and virtues should proceed hand in hand with efforts to render positive psychology and its measurement tools more sensitive to variability in character strengths and virtues across and within cultures. The essay concludes with suggestions for future research.