chapter 4 strengths
According to Gallup, what is the difference between a talent and a strength?
Talents are the raw materials that can be turned into strengths by developing skills, acquiring knowledge and practice.
Name three benefits of identifying and developing your strengths
The research described in this chapter suggests many benefits of using strengths, including increased happiness, less depression, better productivity and more self-efficacy.
What precisely is the intervention based on VIA strengths which has been shown to have a lasting benefit?
Using a top strength in a new and different way for a week increased happiness and reduced depression for six months. However, just using a top strength more often was not found to have such a significant and lasting benefit.
Name three different strengths inventories developed by psychologists
Values in action inventory of strengths (VIA-IS) developed by Peterson and Seligman; Strengths Finder 2.0 developed by Gallup; Realise 2 developed by CAPP.
What are the six virtues listed in the VIA strength classification?
Wisdom and knowledge, courage, love and humanity, justice, temperance and transcendence.
Which of the inventories is most specifically designed for use in business?
Gallup's StrengthsFinder 2.0.
In the CAPP scheme, what is the difference between a strength and a learned behaviour?
In Capp's terminology, a strength involves high performance, usage and energy. A learned behaviour is something you are good at but depletes you.
strengths inventories
In PP there is not one but at least three well-known inventories of strengths, each has their advantages and its probably a good idea to try all three.
Name three possible problems with using the strengths inventories too naïvely.
May misidentify a strength (for example by relying on an inventory without getting feedback from others that it really is a strength). May overuse a strength or use it inappropriately (for example an airline pilot being inappropriately optimistic regarding an unusual noise from the engine). May neglect weaknesses (as opposed to managing them). May overuse a strength that does not energize you (learned behaviours, in Realise2's terminology).
What are the four quadrants of CAPP's Realise2 strengths model?
Realized strengths, unrealized strengths, learned behaviours and weaknesses.
strengths should not be identified or used too naively
a review of Linley's objections and Aristotle's philosophy counsels against a naive use of strengths, misidentify a strength neglect weaknesses overuse a strength that does not energize us use a strength inappropriately
signature strengths
a top strength which feels like it is the real you and energizes you. Via recommends hat you identify your signature strengths and use them more in all areas of life.
some strength may have particular benefits
although positive psychology tends to recommend using your signature strengths, not all strengths have the same benefits. there is good evidence that zest and hope are particularly beneficial. If these happen to be your strengths, the message from positive psychology is to use these strengths in more ways.
Roughly how many people had taken the VIA online test by July 2013? Is it a) 50,000 b) 500,000 c) over a million people?
c) Over a million people.
Strengthss
considered as important or more so than weaknesses, positive psychologists have developed a number of classifications to help you identify and measure your strengths.
strengths identification
identifying and using strengths has been shown to have significant and lasting benefits, including increasing happiness, reducing d depression and enhancing work performance.
