Personality Versus Character
Personality traits, like extraversion, describe how you tend to behave. Character traits describe what kind of person you are morally: honest, kind, brave, fair. Positive psychology studies these as strengths that can be developed.
This test scores eight widely valued character traits:
| Trait | In one line |
|---|---|
| Integrity | Keeping your word and telling the truth |
| Kindness | Caring for others without expecting a return |
| Courage | Acting rightly despite fear |
| Perseverance | Finishing what you start |
| Curiosity | Loving to learn and explore |
| Fairness | Treating everyone justly |
| Humour | Bringing lightness and laughter |
| Prudence | Thinking ahead and choosing carefully |
How It Is Scored
You rate 24 statements, three per trait. Each trait gets a score from 0% to 100%. Your highest is your signature strength, and your top three together describe your character best.
All statements are original to PrismaTest. This is not the VIA Survey of Character Strengths, which measures 24 strengths and is available from the VIA Institute.
The Research Behind Character Strengths
In 2004, psychologists Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman published Character Strengths and Virtues, a “manual of the sanities” based on a review of moral traditions across cultures and history. They identified six virtues and 24 strengths. Later research found:
- Using signature strengths in new ways each day can raise happiness and lower depressive symptoms for months.
- Strengths of the heart, such as kindness, love and gratitude, are more strongly linked with life satisfaction than strengths of the head.
- Perseverance (sometimes studied as “grit” by Angela Duckworth) predicts achievement beyond talent alone.
Putting Your Strengths To Work
| Strength | One way to use it this week |
|---|---|
| Integrity | Keep one small promise you might normally let slide |
| Kindness | Do an anonymous favour |
| Courage | Share an honest opinion in a meeting |
| Perseverance | Finish a task you abandoned |
| Curiosity | Learn about something completely new |
| Fairness | Ask a quiet colleague for their view |
| Humour | Lighten a tense moment kindly |
| Prudence | Sleep on a big decision |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can character traits change?
Yes. Research suggests character strengths can grow through deliberate practice and life experience.
Is a low score a weakness?
Not necessarily. It may just be a “lesser strength” you use less often.
How is this different from a personality test?
Personality tests describe behaviour patterns; this test looks at moral strengths and values in action.
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Compare with the Big Five personality test or the personal values test.
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For self-reflection only. See how we build our tests.