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.     

Greater strengths of character and recovery from illness

How are character strengths related to recovery? A retrospective web-based study of 2087 adults found small but reliable associations between a history of physical illness and the character strengths of appreciation of beauty, bravery, curiosity, fairness, forgiveness, gratitude, humor, kindness, love of learning, and spirituality. A history of psychological disorder and the character strengths of appreciation of beauty, creativity, curiosity, gratitude, and love of learning were also associated. A history of problems was linked to decreased life satisfaction, but only among those who had not recovered. In the case of physical illness, less of a toll on life satisfaction was found among those with the character strengths of bravery, kindness, and humor, and in the case of psychological disorder, less of a toll on life satisfaction was found among those with the character strengths of appreciation of beauty and love of learning. We suggest that recovery from illness and disorder may benefit character.

'Tis an ill wind that blows no good.

English proverb

Attention can operate on semantic objects defined by individual Chinese characters

Attention can select perceptual objects, but it is less clear whether attention can operate on objects defined by higher level cognition, such as semantic associations. Recent studies have shown that attention may be based on objects defined by Chinese two-character compound words, suggesting that attention can operate on semantic objects. In the present study, object-based attention (OBA) effect was investigated at the level of individual Chinese characters, and the role of character structure and radical order in OBA was explored by using a spatial cueing paradigm. In Experiment 1, we found OBA effect for conditions that had legal radical order, but not for other conditions in which the radical order information was disrupted. Character structure, however, had no influence on the OBA effect. In Experiment 2, we observed OBA effect for all conditions after enhancing the radical order and character structure information by adding perceptual cues. The results extend previous findings of a “semantic object”-based attention effect from the two-character word level to the individual character level. Moreover, we found that radical order but not character structure was important for this semantic OBA effect. We conclude that visual attention can be based on semantic objects at the level of individual characters, and that the development of semantic objects is affected by the perceptual grouping of the radicals.     

Organisational and individual strengths use as predictors of engagement and productivity

This study sought to determine whether Perceived Organisational Support for Strengths Use (POSSU) and Proactive Behaviour towards Strengths Use (PBSU) predict engagement and productivity in a sample of South African call centre operators. Participants were 218 call centre operators within the financial services sector (females=51%, males = 49%), representative of the South African population, and predominantly holding secondary educational qualifications. Information was gathered through a cross-sectional quantitative research design comprising self-report measures. The measures were administered on site within a call centre of one of the country's largest financial service providers. Structural equation modelling methods were implemented to establish the model fit of the constructs in the study and to explain structural paths between the variables. Findings showed that POSSU and PBSU are significant predictors of work engagement. PBSU predicted productivity. In addition, engagement mediated the relationship between POSSU/PBSU and productivity. This supports the theoretical context of the job demands-resources (JD-R) model and provides grounds for further exploration of the strengths-based approach (on both organisational and individual levels) as a developmental approach to utilise within organisations to enhance engagement and productivity.     

在"理性史"与"理念诗"之间--哲学史上经典之解释与人物之个性的关系问题

本论文所欲讨论者,将主要集中于哲学史上个人之性情、个性对该哲学本文所表达之观念的影响,以及我们对此所应持的诠释态度。对于中国传统哲学而言,经典本文之理解与人物个性之品评当得其有机之结合,方能再现“理性史之纹路”与“理念诗之魅力”,如是,我们也便有相当的理由质疑那种一开始就用某种预设了的、严格的因果对应的方式来图解思想家之思想的努力,同时,我们也可以在相当程度上避免因“过度诠释”所导致的诠释者对本文及其所赖于产生的周围世界的轻忽和放逐。     

A re-evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Basic Character Inventory

The aim of this study was to re-evaluate the psychometric properties of the Basic Character Inventory (BCI). In a rather large sample of 503 subjects (323 women and 180 men, 88 non-psychotic psychiatric inpatients and 415 non-patients) factor analysis resulted in three factors with personality traits almost identical with the BCI Oral, Obsessive and Hysterical scales. BCI seems to be a fruitful and reliable assessment instrument for personality traits and character types as outlined in psychoanalytic theory. However, some of the trait subscales ought to be scrutinized in future psychometric re-evaluative studies of BCI on new, large samples. Another factor analysis showed that the BCI Oral scale, together with all the ten subscales of the psychiatric Symptom Check-list 90 (SCL-90), loaded on the first factor, and the BCI Obsessive and Hysterical scales loaded on the second factor, but with different signs. Orality seems to be related to psychopathology.     

Strengths use and deficit correction in organizations: development and validation of a questionnaire

Although the positive psychology tradition emphasizes the importance of a balanced approach regarding individual strengths and weaknesses, there is no valid instrument to measure these phenomena in organizations. The purpose of the present studies is to develop and validate an instrument that measures four dimensions, namely perceived organizational support (POS) for strengths use, POS for deficit correction, strengths use behaviour, and deficit correction behaviour. In study 1 and 2, the Strengths Use and Deficit COrrection (SUDCO) questionnaire was developed and tested for its factor structure, reliability, and convergent and criterion validity in two samples of South African employees (N = 338 and N = 361, respectively). In study 3, the convergent and criterion validity of the SUDCO were examined in a sample of Dutch engineers (N = 133). Results indicated that the intended dimensions of strengths use and deficit correction can be measured reliably with 24 items and showed convergent validity. Moreover, POS for strengths use and strengths use behaviour correlated positively with self- and manager-ratings of job performance, supporting the criterion validity of these scales. As expected, POS for deficit correction and deficit correction behaviour were unrelated to the performance ratings.     

The structure and developmental course of Positive Youth Development (PYD) in early adolescence: Implications for theory and practice

Using data from Grades 5 to 7 of the longitudinal 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development (PYD), this research assessed the structure and development of PYD. Building on Grade 5 findings, that “Five Cs” (Competence, Confidence, Connection, Character, and Caring) could be empirically defined as latent constructs converging on a second-order construct, labeled PYD, we used structural models to assess the fit of this original model for Grades 5, 6, and 7. Results indicated that PYD continued to be a robust construct that can be defined comparably for Grades 6 and 7, as it was in Grade 5. We discuss implications for future research and for applications of the finding that, across the three years of early adolescence that we assessed (about ages 10 to 12), there is continuity in the structure of PYD.     

Erikson’s Schedule of Human Strengths and the Church’s Self-Images

This article focuses on Erik H. Erikson’s schedule of human strengths presented in his essay, “Human Strength and the Cycle of Generations” (Erikson 1964) and suggests that certain images of the church support these human strengths. In supporting these human strengths, they also contribute to our understanding of the importance of the fact that the church is an intergenerational body.     

实践智慧在二十一世纪(下)

这是一篇文章的第二部分,这篇文章概述了一个词汇表,从而发展出一个建设性的prudence(实践智慧)概念,以用来应对政治行动者以及社会理论所面临的那些问题。明智(审慎)的行为要求规范的、计虑的和施行的(实践智慧)这些形态的相互协调。这一部分将考察,这些要求如何可能在行为者、观众和后现代思想之中形成一个有机的结合。实践智慧可以通过节状自我、公共商讨以及对prudence历史上的教育学和哲学诸阶段的详尽论述来得到理解。