Editing Positive psychology (section)

===''Character Strengths and Virtues''===
{{main|Values in Action Inventory of Strengths}}
{{See also|Character education|Values education}}

The ''Character Strengths and Virtues'' (CSV) handbook (2004) was the first attempt by Seligman and Peterson to identify and classify positive psychological traits of human beings. Much like the ''[[Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders]]'' (DSM) of general psychology, the CSV provided a theoretical framework to assist in understanding strengths and virtues and for developing practical applications for positive psychology. It identified six classes of virtues (i.e., "core virtues"), underlying 24 measurable character strengths.<ref name=PetersonSeligman2004>{{cite book |last1=Peterson |first1=Christopher |author1-link=Christopher Peterson (psychologist) |last2=Seligman |first2=Martin E.&nbsp;P. |author2-link=Martin Seligman |title=Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification |location=Oxford |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2004  |isbn=978-0-19-516701-6 }}</ref>

The CSV suggested these six virtues have a historical basis in the vast majority of cultures and that they can lead to increased happiness when built upon. Notwithstanding numerous cautions and caveats, this suggestion of universality leads to three theories:{{r|PetersonSeligman2004|p=51}}
# The study of positive human qualities broadens the scope of psychological research to include mental wellness.
# The leaders of the positive psychology movement challenge [[moral relativism]] by suggesting people are "evolutionarily predisposed" toward certain virtues.
# Virtue has a biological basis.

The organization of the six virtues and 24 strengths is as follows:
# '''[[Wisdom]] and knowledge:''' [[creativity]], [[curiosity]], [[Toleration|open-mindedness]], [[love of learning]], [[wisdom|perspective]], [[innovation]], [[prudence]]
# '''[[Courage]]:''' [[bravery]], [[persistence (psychology)|persistence]], [[vitality]], [[Zest (positive psychology)|zest]]
# '''[[Humanity (virtue)|Humanity]]:''' [[love]], [[kindness]], [[social intelligence]]
# '''[[Justice (virtue)|Justice]]:''' [[active citizenship|citizenship]], [[impartiality|fairness]], [[leadership]], [[integrity]], [[arete|excellence]]
# '''[[Temperance (virtue)|Temperance]]:''' [[forgiveness]] and [[mercy]], [[humility]], [[self-control]]
# '''Transcendence:''' [[appreciation of beauty]], [[gratitude]], [[hope]], [[humor]], [[spirituality]]

Subsequent research challenged the need for six virtues. Instead, researchers suggested the 24 strengths are more accurately grouped into just three or four categories: Intellectual Strengths, Interpersonal Strengths, and Temperance Strengths,<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Shryack | first1 = J. | last2 = Steger | first2 = M. F. | last3 = Krueger | first3 = R. F. | last4 = Kallie | first4 = C. S. | title = The structure of virtue: An empirical investigation of the dimensionality of the virtues in action inventory of strengths | doi = 10.1016/j.paid.2010.01.007 | journal = Personality and Individual Differences | volume = 48 | issue = 6| pages = 714–719| year = 2010| hdl = 10818/33195 | hdl-access = free }}</ref> or alternatively, Interpersonal Strengths, Fortitude, Vitality, and Cautiousness.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Brdr | first1 = I. | last2 = Kashdan | first2 = T.B. | year = 2010 | title = Character strengths and well-being in Croatia: An empirical investigation of structure and correlates | doi = 10.1016/j.jrp.2009.12.001 | journal = Journal of Research in Personality | volume = 44 | pages = 151–154 }}</ref> These strengths, and their classifications, have emerged independently elsewhere in literature on values. [[Paul Thagard]] described some examples.<ref>{{cite book|last=Thagard|first=Paul|year=2005|chapter=How to be a successful scientist|editor-first1=M. E.|editor-last1=Gorman|editor-first2=R. D.|editor-last2=Tweney|editor-first3=D. C.|editor-last3=Gooding|editor-first4=A. P.|editor-last4=Kincannon|title=Scientific and technological thinking|pages=159–171|location=Mawah, N.J.|publisher=Lawrence Erlbaum Associates}}</ref>