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How do the character strengths of our Presidential candidates match up with our ideals? Take a few minutes to voice your opinion, then email the site to your friends. Let's elevate the national discourse on character.

Letter from the Chairman

Neal H. Mayerson, Ph.D.

Imagine a world where teachers know the unique character strengths of their students and use that knowledge to create greater engagement in learning? Imagine parents and employers focusing on how best to nurture and deploy the individual strengths of their children and employees.  Imagine a world that cares as much about "what is right" as "what is wrong" with people. 

The notion of an individualizing constellation of character strengths is central to VIA's work. It is unlike the one-size-fits-all notion of character where attempts are made to have all people conform to a uniform set of characteristics.  Instead, VIA's concept is that each person has their own profile of positive characteristics and that the challenge for us all is to live our lives in harmony with our essential strengths of character.  Early research suggests that a life so lived is one poised to reap the benefits of good health, meaningful achievements, and an overall sense of happiness and well-being.  Further, we can envision that a world of authentic living will be one in which social problems are fewer and societies achieve greatness.

But, before we claim all of the above, we have alot of work to do.  We need solid research and we need solid explorations in practice.  This site is designed to be a gathering place where practitioners and scientists around the world can share their ideas and discoveries.  VIA aims to facilitate the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge about the VIA character strengths by building a strong community.  Please become a member and help advance the science of character!  

VIA Funds Research

While we are not issuing a request for proposals at this time, VIA is interested in supporting research related to applications of the character strength and virtues. We are particularly interested in the domains of education and business. We plan to fund a handful of research projects in 2008.  To begin a conversation, please Contact Us. 

Shop VIA

Coming Soon! An online store offering books, posters, gift items, consultation and training tools. Click on the following books to order them directly from Amazon.com
The Survey Center:
  • VIA Survey on Character
  • VIA Brief Strengths Survey
  • VIA Youth Survey


Take the VIA Survey on Character, here!

You can learn your deepest character strengths by taking the VIA survey. Join nearly 1,000,000 people around the world who have taken the survey online!

CHARACTER STRENGTHS AND VIRTUES: A Handbook and Classification

Christopher Peterson
Martin E. P. Seligman

...destined to become a classic—both in the social sciences and in the humanities. -George E. Vaillant, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Director of Research for the Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital

...one of the most important initiatives in psychology of the past half century. - Howard Gardner, Hobbs Professor of Education and Cognition, Harvard Graduate School of Education.

This work provides a needed psychological foundation for studying some of the attributes that are most important to a world that is foundering on the shoals of wars, terrorism, and atrocities. I recommend the book very highly.- Robert J. Sternberg, IBM Professor of Psychology and Education, Yale University; Director, Center for the Psychology of Abilities, Competencies, and Expertise (PACE Center), Yale University; Past President, American Psychological Association

Not since Skinner have psychologists been so bold as to suggest a science of human character and virtue. ... My hope is that it will transport scientific psychology into fields of discourse that have rarely considered it before.- Claude Steele, Ph.D., Chair and Professor, Psychology Department, Stanford University

 

The VIA Library

 

is located in the VIA Community and is open to all members.  It contains a growing collection published articles, unpublished papers, books, and electronic information sources. Wherever possible, you'll find a link to the source so you may purchased the book or article. 

Please help us expand the library so that it becomes the most comprehensive collection of information about positive psychology, and, specifically it's backbone, the character strengths and virtues. 

Christopher Peterson
VIA Science Director


Chris Peterson, professor at the University of Michigan since 1986, is a member of the Positive Psychology Steering Committee, a consulting editor of the Journal of Positive Psychology and a former Templeton Senior Fellow.  He led the creation of the VIA Classification of Strengths. He is coauthor of Character Strengths and Virtues, A Handbook and Classification and is one of the world's 100 most cited psychologists.  He is one of the founding fathers of Positive Psychology.

Welcome MAPP Students!  AI Consultants! AHC Graduates! Join groups of your colleagues inside!

 

Funding Partners

The VIA Institute is committed to a two-fold approach to funding.  First, we are interested in convening grantmakers who are interested in advancing the development of character strengths, primarily in education, business, and social services.  Second, VIA is interested in creating a community fund generated from and directed by its members.  Interested?  Get in touch with us.