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Most people want to change some of their personality traits, typically those they and others perceive as lacking. However, past research focused on student samples and higher-order traits and has not fully explored the attributes of traits that predict change goals. As a replication and extension of previous findings, two studies examined (1) whether people want to change their character strengths and how character strengths change goals relate to (2) character strength levels, (3) age, and (4) well-being. Further, we examined which (5) attributes of character strengths, such as their association with morality or well-being, predict change goals. Participants (Study 1: N = 2,792 German-speaking adults, 79.2% women, median = 46 years; Study 2: N = 6,787 English-speaking adults, 67.0% women, median = 32 years) completed measures of character strengths, character strengths change goals, and well-being. A subsample (n = 1,739) provided informant ratings. Results showed that participants wanted to increase all 24 character strengths. Most change goals showed negligible associations with participants' well-being and age. Except for spirituality, participants—especially the less happy—wanted to change those character strengths they lacked. The character strengths' relationship with well-being, but not their moral value, predicted the goals to change them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we sought to locate the three traits known as the temperamental basis of humor (cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad mood) in the personality space defined by the five-factor model in adolescents. The study also investigated the relative contribution of these narrower traits – in comparison to broad personality traits – to explaining variance in relevant outcomes: the frequency of humor behaviors and well-being. A sample of N = 379 adolescents aged 10 to 17 years (mean age = 15.52, 28.5% male) completed questionnaires on the traits of cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad mood (STCI-youth), the personality traits of the five-factor model (IPIP-junior), the frequency with which they typically displayed 13 different humor behaviors (HUMOR), and well-being (PWI-SC). The results reveal that all three traits assessed by the STCI-youth predicted unique variance in both the frequency of humor behaviors and well-being – beyond demographic variables, the personality traits of the five-factor model, and each other. Using dominance analysis, we demonstrate that the variables assessed by the STCI-youth – in particular, cheerfulness and seriousness for humor behaviors and cheerfulness and bad mood for well-being – outperform broad personality traits in accounting for the variance in humor behaviors. In conclusion, the present study shows that cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad mood overlap with broad personality traits, while being unique predictors of everyday humor behaviors and well-being. Thus, they are well-suited for investigating individual differences in the domain of humor among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In two studies, we establish the association between different assessments of character strengths (i.e., traits, habitual and daily behavior at school) with school-related well-being and achievement. Study 1 (N = 414, mean age = 14.14 years) demonstrated that habitual strengths-related behavior at school accounted for unique variance in well-being at school and in achievement beyond the influence of the respective character strength trait. Further, the desirability of certain strengths (e.g., perseverance, fairness, forgiveness, and humor) at the classroom level accounted for additional variance in students' well-being. Study 2 (N = 186, mean age = 14.27 years) used a diary design across five days to replicate the between-person associations and study within-person associations. Results revealed that daily strengths-related behavior predicted well-being on the following day. Overall, the results underline the importance of strengths-related behavior at school and suggest that all 24 character strengths are relevant for well-being at school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Character strengths are morally valued trait-like personality characteristics which contribute to fulfillments that comprise the good life, for oneself and for others. In two studies, we tested the assignment of the 24 character strengths of the VIA classification to the 6 virtues. In Study 1 (N = 225), participants gave descriptions of situations where they applied their highest character strength in an excellent manner and rated each of these situations with respect to the six virtues. In Study 2 (N = 146) participants judged the degree to which each character strength fulfills the six functions associated with the virtues. The results converged with the theoretical model for most of the 24 character strengths. Additionally, we consider both dichotomous and polytomous assignments of character strengths to virtues and compare the results with earlier findings and factor analyses of the VIA-IS. Further research using different approaches is suggested to proposealternative assignments of character strengths to virtues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research (Ruch, Platt, & Hofmann, 2014) identified four dimensions of class clown behavior (identifying as a class clown, comic talent, disruptive rule-breaker, and subversive joker). This study investigates whether these dimensions show differential relationships with school achievement, self-reported school satisfaction, positive experiences at school, and teacher-rated classroom behavior in a sample of 157 secondary school children (mean age: 15.4 years). School achievement showed a negative relation to two of the four dimensions of class clown behavior. Class clown behavior was related to less positive classroom behavior and with lower school satisfaction, which was mediated by the dimensions of school experiences. While class clowns experience positive emotions at school, their negative relationship with teachers might impair their school satisfaction and achievement. Positive psychology concepts give new insight into the field of class clown behavior and may also be able to offer some solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the associations of implicit and explicit power motives with the well-being of teachers. Teachers ( N = 170) participated in an online assessment, which included measures for implicit motives (assessed by the operant motive test), explicit motives, and well-being. We expected congruently high power motives to be linked with the highest levels of well-being. We tested this assumption using polynomial regressions with response surface analysis. Results were consistent with our hypothesis. Additionally, there was an effect of directional motive incongruence (a combination of a low implicit and a high explicit power motive was associated with higher well-being than a high implicit/low explicit combination), which did not hold when controlling for emotional stability. Results for achievement were comparable, but weaker, and there was no effect for motive incongruence. No significant associations were found for motive (in)congruence in the affiliation domain. Our findings underline the importance of the power motive in understanding individual differences in teachers' well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Character strengths have been found to be substantially related to children's and adolescents' well-being. Initial evidence suggests that they also matter for school success (e.g., Weber and Ruch, 2012). The present set of two studies aimed at replicating and extending these findings in two different age groups, primary school students (N = 179; mean age = 11.6 years) and secondary school students (N = 199; mean age = 14.4 years). The students completed the VIA-Youth (Values in Action Inventory of Strengths for Youth), a self-report measure of the 24 character strengths in the VIA classification. Their teachers rated the students' positive behavior in the classroom. Additionally, school achievement was assessed: For the primary school students (Study 1), teachers rated the students' overall school achievement and for the secondary school students (Study 2), we used their grades as a measure of school achievement. We found that several character strengths were associated with both positive classroom behavior and school achievement. Across both samples, school achievement was correlated with love of learning, perseverance, zest, gratitude, hope, and perspective. The strongest correlations with positive classroom behavior were found for perseverance, self-regulation, prudence, social intelligence, and hope. For both samples, there were indirect effects of some of the character strengths on school achievement through teacher-rated positive classroom behavior. The converging findings from the two samples support the notion that character strengths contribute to positive classroom behavior, which in turn enhances school achievement. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for future research and for school interventions based on character strengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]