The Values in Action Classification of virtues and character strengths
| Virtues | Character strengths | Multiple descriptions, pronouns and manifestations |
| 1. Wisdom and knowledge Cognitive strengths related to attaining and using new knowledge | Creativity Curiosity Judgement and open-mindedness Love of learning Perspective | (originality, ingenuity, discovering new and innovative ways to do things, thinking of novel and productive ways to do things) (openness to experience, taking an interest in all of ongoing experience, enthusiastically exploring and discovering new things) (critical thinking, thinking things through and examining them from all sides) (relishing in the acquisition of new skills and knowledge, mastering new skills, topics, and bodies of knowledge) (wisdom, providing wise counsel to others) |
| 2. Courage Emotional strengths that involve working hard to accomplish goals in the face of opposition | Bravery Perseverance Honesty Zest | (valour, not withdrawing or shrinking from threat, challenge, difficulty, or pain) (persistence, finishing what one starts, industriousness, working hard to finish what is started) (authenticity, integrity, speaking the truth and presenting oneself in a genuine and authentic way) (vitality, enthusiasm, vigour, energy, approaching life with excitement and energy) |
| 3. Humanity Interpersonal strengths that involve developing relationships and caring for other people | Capacity to love and be loved Kindness Social Intelligence | (valuing close relations with others) (generosity, doing favours, nurturance, care, compassion, altruistic love, being generous and doing good deeds) (emotional intelligence, personal intelligence, being aware of the motives and feelings of self and others, knowing how to adapt to different social situations) |
| 4. Justice Civic strengths related to be an integral part of a healthy community | Teamwork Fairness Leadership | (citizenship, social responsibility, loyalty, working collaboratively and well as member of a team or a group) (treating all people the same according to notions of fairness and justice and with impartiality) (effectively managing groups to complete activities, organising group activities and seeing that they happen) |
| 5. Temperance Strengths related to the use of restraint in thoughts, emotions and behaviour | Forgiveness and mercy Modesty and humility Prudence Self-regulation | (forgiving those who have done wrong) (being modest and letting one’s accomplishments speak for themselves) (being cautious about one’s actions or choices; not saying or doing things that might later be regretted) (regulating what one feels and does, self-control, exercising self-control and discipline) |
| 6. Transcendence Strengths that provide meaning in life and exceed the limits of ordinary experience | Appreciation of beauty and Excellence Gratitude Hope Humour Religiousness and spirituality | (awe, wonder, elevation, noticing and admiring beauty and excellence and/or skilled performance in all domains of everyday life) (being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen) (optimism, future-mindedness, future orientation, expecting the best in the future and working actively to achieve it) (playfulness, enjoying laughter and amusing others, liking to laugh and joke, bringing smiles to other people) (faith, purpose, having beliefs about life that bring comfort, having coherent beliefs about the higher purpose and meaning of life) |
Terms in brackets are variants of the character strength adapted from Peterson and Seligman (2004).