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Abstract
We examined the incremental validity of character in predicting health outcomes and well-being beyond personality traits and investigated the extent to which health-related behaviors mediate the relationship between character and well-being. Findings indicate that several character cores (e.g., transcendence, fortitude) predict well-being, health behaviors, and health outcomes beyond different measures of personality traits, indicating that character is discriminable from personality as indicated by incremental prediction. In particular, fortitude, temperance, transcendence, and sincerity appear to be key players. Implications for character research are discussed.
Acknowledgments
We thank Brandon Ferrell of Hogan Assessment Systems for his assistance in delivering data.
Data availability statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, DW, upon reasonable request.
Disclosure statement
No potential competing interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 Although we endorse the validity as construct validity perspective (Messick, Citation1989; Newton & Shaw, Citation2013) that emphasizes there are not types of validity, only different pieces of evidence for construct validity, we use the validity-type language as shorthand to facilitate ease of communication, much like Clark and Watson (Citation2019).
2 Other data was collected as part of this study but given reviewer concerns regarding the controversy associated with the Holmes and Rahe Stress Inventory and its inconsistency with theoretical developments regarding stress, we do not include them in our results.