Integrating psychological and cultural perspectives on virtue: The hierarchical structure of character strengths

Abstract

The VIA Classification characterizes six culturally defined virtues as latent variables underlying 24 character strengths. Factor analyses of measures based on the Classification usually suggest 4–5 factors that do not correspond well to traditional lists of virtues. This article describes the identification of a three-virtue model across multiple measures of strengths in four samples encompassing 1,070,549 cases. The general pattern involved a first component representing good character that split into two components reflecting Goodness and Inquisitiveness. The former divided further into components reflecting Caring and Self-Control. This pattern recurred in all data sets. The model consisting of Caring, Inquisitiveness, and Self-Control is proposed as a reliable latent structure for the VIA Classification strengths, an intuitive classification of traditional cultural virtues, and a framework for social efforts encouraging the development of virtue.

Keywords:

• character strengths
• virtues
• positive psychology
• VIA Classification
• factor analysis

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the VIA Institute for providing access to the data sets used in Studies 1-2, Maureen Barckley for her help with the data set used in Study 3, Lewis Goldberg for his sage input on an earlier draft, and Daniel Levitin for access to the software that generated most of the figures. All opinions expressed are solely the responsibility of the author.

Notes

1. The structure of the SSI allowed for an alternate approach to evaluating the reliability of the findings. Specifically, it was possible to use the essential, natural, and uplifting items as if they comprised three separate inventories comprised of 24 single-item scales. In each case, parallel analysis and the minimum average partial procedure suggested three factors, and each set of hierarchical PCAs replicated the pattern described in the Results. That is, the findings reported for the SSI were consistent across the three types of questions.