The Importance, Opportunities, and Challenges of Empirically Assessing Character for the Promotion of Flourishing

Abstract

The article discusses the importance of quantitative empirical character assessment for better understanding the formation of character and for promoting virtue and thereby also human flourishing. Attention is given to a number of challenges in developing character survey items along with criteria for evaluating items and examples of successes and failures in item development. Discussion is also given to future opportunities to include character assessments in large longitudinal cohort studies, to develop scalable character interventions, and to promote the formation of character through various communities.