Wise Individuals Research Articles

“IT’S NOT THE DESTINATION BUT THE JOURNEY”: PERSPECTIVES AND ADVICE ON WISDOM

Abstract While wisdom has been a common topic of contemplation for hundreds of years, a common theme in the wisdom literature relates to how wisdom is acquired through experiences. However, others have found that it can also be developed through individual factors, such as cognition, emotional intelligence, and personality, and cultivated through social interactions and self-reflection. Older adults have more experience than those of any other generation, giving them the time to develop the individual factors associated with wisdom and the skills to cultivate it. Given their unique social position, older adults are thus most qualified to share wisdom. In attempts to capitalize on the wisdom of older adults, the study uses survey data from adults aged 55 and better to examine how older adults characterize wisdom, it’s association with age, and how it can be achieved. Data was collected using surveys administered through the Survey Monkey Platform and the Mather Institute Research Panel. Findings indicate that most older adults believe that wisdom increases with age. They further believe that wise individuals accept their limitations, are realists, have developed strong relationships with others, and seem in control of their lives. Older adults believe that wisdom can primarily be achieved by making mistakes, interacting with people who are different, experiencing adversity, and trying new things. Understanding the ways in which older adults perceive wisdom can be used to enhance intergenerational interactions that are mutually beneficial.

HIDUP SEBAGAI ORANG-ORANG ARIF SUATU TAFSIRAN TERHADAP EFESUS 5:15 - 21

In the era of digital 4.0, where technology advances rapidly, many people seek to do everything quickly. This phenomenon also affects Christians, who aspire to embody the teachings of the Bible, but often wish to skip the process of growth and transformation. However, it is through the experiences and events of life that individuals are meant to undergo character development, becoming wise individuals rather than the opposite, becoming "foolish." Through this scholarly work, the author aims to encourage Christians to become wise individuals, meaning individuals who have the ability to apply their knowledge as children of light (children of God) in their behavior and actions. Believers should be capable of embracing opportunities to align their behavior with divine purposes, understanding and discerning the will of God, and allowing their lives to be completely guided by the Holy Spirit. The fulfillment of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers is reflected in their songs, which serve as a means of exhortation and admonition to one another, offering praises directed towards the Lord. They express gratitude to God the Father through Jesus Christ and willingly submit to one another in an atmosphere of deep respect that emanates from sincere hearts towards Jesus Christ. The author employs methods such as textual analysis (Biblical verses), synthesis, addressing research inquiries, and reflecting on life experiences to accomplish these objectives

Examining the Representation of Women as Wise Authorities and Alpha Women in the Book of Proverb

The Book of Proverbs contains numerous moral teachings and wise sayings. However, the representation of women in this book is often depicted as unequal and unjust, particularly regarding their status and roles. This article aimed to assess the representation of women in the Book of Proverbs and explore how they can be perceived as authoritative sources of wisdom and as alpha women. Through an exegetical study that examines theologians’ views on women’s representation in the Book of Proverbs, the role of women in this book will be analyzed to reclaim their status as wise individuals and strong women in both private and public realms. This understanding is crucial for creating a gender-balanced and equitable interpretation that is not influenced by patriarchal cultural norms.

Looking Beyond Linear: A Closer Examination of the Relationship Between Wisdom and Wellbeing

There has been some controversy about the relationship between wisdom and constructs of the well-being complex. Some wisdom researchers argue that the ability to maintain a high level of well-being, even in the face of very negative experiences, is a core characteristic of wisdom. Other researchers argue that the willingness of wise people to reflect on the darker sides of life might jeopardize well-being. Studies mostly found moderate positive correlations of well-being with self-report wisdom measures and negative, zero, or low positive correlations with open-ended measures of wisdom. This paper tests the hypothesis that the relationship between wisdom and well-being is triangular rather than linear, with highly wise people being high in well-being, but people high in well-being not necessarily being highly wise. A sample of 155 participants (age 23 to 90 years) completed four wisdom measures and three measures from the well-being complex. We analyzed both linear relationships (using correlations) and triangular relationships (using Necessary Condition Analysis). Correlations of well-being with open-ended measures of wisdom were mostly insignificant; correlations with self-report measures of wisdom were mostly significant. However, scatterplots showed the expected triangular relationships and Necessary Condition Analysis indicated medium to large effect sizes for both open-ended and self-report wisdom measures. In sum, our findings show that even if wise individuals think more deeply about difficult aspects of the human existence, they are still able to maintain high levels of well-being.

Wisdom, cultural synergy, and social change: A Taiwanese perspective

This study examined the relationships among wisdom, cultural synergy (i.e., incorporating lessons learned from different cultures), and social change by re-analyzing 220 “wisdom incidents” (i.e., real-life displays of wisdom) collected from 1997 to 2003 from 66 Taiwanese adults nominated as wise individuals (Yang, 2008a). We addressed these questions empirically with a mixed-methods approach: (a) “What are the features of cultural synergy involved in the Taiwanese wisdom nominees’ narratives about their displays of wisdom?”; and (b) “How are real-life displays of wisdom related to cultural synergy and social change?” Wisdom is defined as a real-life process that entails three components: (a) cognitive integration—an individual incorporates separate or conflicting ideas to form an integrated idea; (b) embodying actions—the individual acts to implement the unified idea; and (c) positive effects for oneself and others—the individual's actions generate positive effects for the self and others. The 220 wisdom incidents were re-analyzed qualitatively by young Taiwanese for themes related to cultural synergy and lessons learned from culture; the incidents were re-evaluated quantitatively by young Taiwanese for indications of wisdom, cultural synergy, and social change. A model proposing relationships among wisdom, cultural synergy, and social change was then evaluated using path analysis. Results, which may be generalized to young Taiwanese, show that displays of wisdom had (a) a direct relationship with cultural synergy and social change; and (b) an indirect relationship with social change through cultural synergy. Findings suggest that what the Taiwanese wisdom nominees learned from both their own culture and other cultures is significantly related to cultural synergy which, in turn, is significantly related to promoting social change.

Virtuous Qualities and Personality Traits of Wise Individuals

Abstract Introduction: Wisdom is a desired master virtue and a lot can be learnt from the qualities and personality traits of wise individuals. Philosophers and psychologists have attempted to understand the qualities that make an individual wise because wisdom entails a life of personal growth and maturity. Keeping the benefits of wisdom in mind, the present study investigated various virtues and personality traits that characterize it. Method: Wisdom was studied in relationship with Big Five Personality Traits (extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, neuroticism, conscientiousness) and Virtues (wisdom and knowledge, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, transcendence) among a sample of 360 Indian adults in the age range of 18-75 years. Pearson’s product moment correlation and stepwise multiple regression analyses were conducted with wisdom as the criterion variable. Cross-sectional predictors of wisdom were also found across the three age groups i.e. young adults, middle aged adults, and older adults. Results: Results revealed that humanity, transcendence, extraversion and wisdom and knowledge virtues account for 29% variance in wisdom in the total sample. The virtues of wisdom and knowledge and openness personality trait emerged to be the most significant predictors of wisdom in young adults (n=120) and accounted for 17% variance. Middle-aged adults (n=120) reflected transcendence, temperance and humanity virtues as significant predictors of wisdom accounting for 41% variance. The older adult group displayed transcendence as the only significant predictor of wisdom accounting for 5% variance. Conclusion: The present study indicates that in order to develop wisdom, one needs to inculcate healthier personality traits of openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, humility, forgiveness, ego transcendence, gratitude, hope, playfulness, humor, kindness, curiosity, judgment and perspective-taking abilities.

Thoughts on Adaptive Leadership in a Challenging Time.

Thoughts on Adaptive Leadership in a Challenging Time.

Wisdom and value orientations: Just a projection of our own beliefs?

ObjectivesThis paper investigated which value orientations (1) people associate with wisdom and (2) are actually correlated with measures of wisdom. Conceptions of wisdom suggest benevolence and universalism as likely candidates.MethodIn Study 1, 160 university students reported their political orientation and completed a value survey for themselves and a very wise person; Study 2 used the same approach with a more diverse sample (N = 187). In Study 3, 170 participants completed a value survey and six measures of wisdom. In Study 4, 356 participants completed a wisdom measure and filled out a value survey for themselves and a very wise person.ResultsPeople consistently believed that wise individuals value benevolence, universalism, and self‐direction most; they also imagined wise individuals to be more universalistic but also more respectful of tradition than themselves. Several wisdom measures were uncorrelated with values; the positive correlations that were found were with benevolence, universalism, self‐direction, and respect for traditions.ConclusionsMost people believe that wise individuals are concerned about the well‐being of others, have respect for cultural, religious, and individual differences and traditions, and care deeply about self‐direction, fairness, and equality as fundamentals of human society. Whether these relationships are also found empirically depends on which measure of wisdom is used.

Iranian children’s knowledge about wisdom

Several studies have investigated adults’ understanding of wisdom, but what do children know about this complex concept? A sample of 408 Iranian children aged 6–12 years completed a self-report questionnaire. Familiarity with the term “wisdom” increased from 55.2% in preschool to 99.1% in grade 6. Children’s open definitions emphasized concern for others and adherence to social and religious norms, followed by cognitive aspects of wisdom and self-control. Over 95% of the children agreed that wise individuals are “nice,” “honest,” “organized,” “faithful,” “intelligent,” “kind,” and “literate.” Compared to an Austrian sample (Glück, Bischof, & Siebenhüner, 2012), the Iranian children’s conception of wisdom emphasized norm adherence more and cognitive aspects less. Sixth-graders showed a more differentiated understanding of the concept than the younger groups.

The Language of Wisdom Understood Through an Analysis of Wise Quotes

Wise quotes carry advice about how to navigate life’s difficult decisions or feelings, allowing cultures to pass wisdom through generations. Qualities of wisdom have been identified by careful examination of wise individuals. Similarly, wise sayings and quotations can be analyzed and interpreted as emblematic of cultural beliefs about wisdom. The present research examines thematic and linguistic qualities of 157 wise quotes nominated as wise by 194 undergraduates. Thematic analysis of wise quotes centered on five dimensions of wisdom: Humor, Emotion, Review, Openness and Experience. Humor and Emotion were found to be the least represented while Review and Experience were the most represented. Linguistic analysis compared strong ( n = 101) versus weak ( n = 56) wise quotes and found that strong wise quotes were more linguistically complex and less likely to use the first-person pronouns. Analyzing the language of wisdom through quotes can provide additional insight into cultural representations of wisdom.

Wise functioning and coping strategies in adolescents: Age as an intervening variable

As we know relatively little about the development of wisdom in youth, the following study was designed to examine whether and how wise functioning would predict coping strategies in adolescents. As layperson’s implicit theories of wisdom suggest that wisdom varies by age, we wanted to see if and how age might correlate with wisdom, and examine the role of age as a mediator between wisdom and coping. Consequently, this article provides some initial evidence indicating that wise thinking, behaving, and age are related to coping strategies. It seems that wise individuals act when confronted with adversity and obstacles, focusing on the benefits that follow from stressful events. At the same time, they try to avoid using responses that are commonly considered less adaptive or immature: denial or substance use. These choices may be related to the equilibrium between knowledge and doubt that is believed to be the core of wisdom. Therefore, being wise lies not in what is known, but rather in the way in which the knowledge is used in everyday life and experienced as time passes by.

Real-time measurement of wise personality cognition: Evidence from mouse tracking

There is no uniform definition of wisdom. In a psychological context, wisdom can be described as a comprehensive psychological trait integrating virtue and intelligence. Although the outcomes of wise personality characteristics have been studied, the temporal dynamics of real-time processing of wise personality remain elusive. In the current study, mouse tracking techniques were used to explore the cognitive dynamics of real-time processing of wise personality in two experiments. Study 1 showed that when participants were required to categorize wise and unwise characteristics in compatible and incompatible trials, the mouse trajectories showed a continuous spatial attraction toward the compatibility between wisdom and the wise characteristics. Further, in two dimensions of the wise personality, wisdom and the competence dimension were more closely linked. In Study 2, the mouse trajectories revealed that the connections among the different types of wisdom and between the two dimensions of wise personality were distinguished through the priming social categories. Natural wisdom showed a stronger connection with the competence dimension, whereas human wisdom showed a stronger tendency to be associated with the virtue dimension. The current study demonstrated that wisdom is the integration of virtue and competence and that competence can be regarded as the primary feature of wise individuals.

Toward an Iranian conception of giftedness

ABSTRACTUsing a grounded theory approach to the study of historical texts and an expert interview, this study investigates culturally embedded conceptions of giftedness as evidenced in one of the most important Iranian literary canons, The Gulistan, to guide the development of education and programming for gifted and talented students in Iran. The Gulistan depicts the real world in its stories. Historically, The Gulistan has provided guidance to gifted and wise individuals regarding how to live life. Investigating these conceptions in The Gulistan’s stories gives us significant insight into what historically has counted as giftedness in the Iranian culture. Main themes arising from this study include Saheb Ferasat (insighted), Shukhdideh (wit), Dana & Aghel (practical intelligent), Kheradmand (wise), and Hakim (sage). This study is an exploration of an approach to developing an Iranian conception of giftedness that is embedded in the culture. The framework and findings may be of interest to scholars, poli...

Toward an Iranian conception of giftedness

ABSTRACTUsing a grounded theory approach to the study of historical texts and an expert interview, this study investigates culturally embedded conceptions of giftedness as evidenced in one of the most important Iranian literary canons, The Gulistan, to guide the development of education and programming for gifted and talented students in Iran. The Gulistan depicts the real world in its stories. Historically, The Gulistan has provided guidance to gifted and wise individuals regarding how to live life. Investigating these conceptions in The Gulistan’s stories gives us significant insight into what historically has counted as giftedness in the Iranian culture. Main themes arising from this study include Saheb Ferasat (insighted), Shukhdideh (wit), Dana & Aghel (practical intelligent), Kheradmand (wise), and Hakim (sage). This study is an exploration of an approach to developing an Iranian conception of giftedness that is embedded in the culture. The framework and findings may be of interest to scholars, policy makers, and educators in various roles.

Wisdom and Psychosocial Functioning in Later Life

We investigated the connection between wisdom-related performance, personality, and generativity to further the understanding of how they are interrelated. Our sample consisted of 163 men and women 68-77 years of age, mostly White, and predominantly middle class. Wisdom was assessed with the performance-based Berlin Wisdom Paradigm, with the remaining measures being mostly self-report. As hypothesized, on the zero-order level, wisdom-related performance (WRP) was positively associated with (a) growth, a personality component indexed by Openness to Experience, psychological mindedness, and a sense of well-being derived from growth, purpose in life, and autonomy; (b) adjustment, a personality component associated with life satisfaction, high levels of Agreeableness and Conscientiousness, low Neuroticism, a sense of well-being derived from positive relations with others, self-acceptance, and environmental mastery; and (c) a generative concern for the welfare of others. Latent path analysis indicated that the bivariate associations between adjustment and wisdom and between generativity and wisdom were mediated by growth. Wise individuals are characterized by their ability to balance different personal strengths and interests, an integration that occurs, however, within the context of a dominant personality style marked by the pursuit of maturity through personal growth.

Why are Wise People Happier? An Explanatory Model of Wisdom and Emotional Well-Being in Older Adults

This research investigated the relation between wisdom and emotional well-being in older adults, with an aim to elucidate pathways of positive development in adulthood. Three-hundred and sixty recently retired individuals completed a series of questionnaires including measures of wisdom, dispositional coping, perceived control, life engagement, and positive and negative affect. Structural equation modeling controlling for social desirability, health, and sociodemographic variables revealed that problem-focused coping, positive reappraisal coping, perceived control and life engagement mediate the positive relation between wisdom and positive affect. In addition, perceived control and life engagement, but not dispositional coping, were found to mediate the negative relation between wisdom and negative affect. The results demonstrate that higher levels of perceived control and life engagement in conjunction with an increased use of problem-focused and positive reappraisal coping account for the enhanced emotional well-being associated with wisdom. Findings are discussed in terms of the characteristics of wise individuals that promote positive aging.

Wisdom in the Flesh: Embodied Social Practices of Wisdom in Organisations

The majority of contemporary models of wisdom define it in terms of a cognitive ability that is located in an agent’s mind. Even those models that include emotions, affective states, gut feelings etc. hardly recognise the relation between those non-cognitive dimensions, agents’ bodies and how they shape the content of experiences and how social practices of wisdom enfold. This paper will address this gap by providing a phenomenological account that depicts wisdom not as generated by wise individuals but as being produced by and within embodied practices of agents relating to other people, artefacts, concepts, and ways of using others and things. It is argued that management should aim at building facilitative contexts that afford people to make use of and exploit the embodied dimension of wise practices. Exemplary strategies and tools that establish such sites, where embodied social practices of wisdom happen, are described.

PENGAJARAN SASTRA SEBAGAI UPAYA MEMBENTUK MANUSIA YANG CINTA TANAH AIR: HARAPAN DAN KENYATAAN

Teaching literature cannot be separated from the existence of literary works. Teaching literature at school can be a tool to improve the lack of students’ attitude and morality by introducing and delivering the masterpiece values of Indonesian literary works to the students. By reading the literary works, our nation’s experiences—sadness-happiness, bitterness-sweetness, and cleverness-stupidness experiences—which occur in the literary works can enrich their religious faiths and make them to be the wise individuals in sharing their own life. This will lead them until they grow up and they will have the fruitful knowledge. One of the main problems occuring in the literature teaching is the mixing of a part of the Indonesian language teaching materials. The impact influences many things, such the lack of teaching time and students are uninterested in literary works. The literature teaching becomes unpleasant. This paper will oversee the fact that the teaching of literary works in textbooks as samples employed at schools.

A Process View of Wisdom

The present study proposes to define wisdom as a real-life process which consists of three core components—integration, embodiment, and positive effects. Two studies were conducted to test whether those three components play an essential role in wisdom as it emerges in real-life contexts. In Study 1, an open-ended questionnaire asking Taiwanese Chinese to nominate wise individuals was given to more than 80 participants of a diverse range of occupations and age groups who resided in different parts of Taiwan. After analyzing and rating participants’ reasons for their nominations, the results show that wisdom is perceived to include those three core components. In Study 2, semi-structured interviews were conducted on 66 wisdom nominees who agreed to participate. Analysis of these interview transcripts yielded 220 wisdom incidents. It was found that wisdom incidents with core components made explicit received higher wisdom ratings than the same incidents without making the three core components explicit. The present findings suggest that wisdom could be defined more broadly, as a special kind of real-life process that is accomplished after a person cognitively makes an unusual integration, embodies his or her ideas through action, and hence brings forth positive effects to both self and others.

Coming Full Circle

J C P H – Vol. 60, no 3 – juin 2007 216 the time and mental energy to devote to nurturing another person. Next, an effective mentor is a person who has benefited from positive life experiences and who thus has the inherent knowledge, insight, and network so vital to the development of a protege. A final requirement is the ability to use a wide range of coaching, counselling, modelling, and facilitation skills to expose the protege to new ideas and applications, and to expand the protege’s role from dependent learner to career self-reliance. A powerful tool is the sharing of life stories (including open discussion of failures as well as successes), a process that provides valuable opportunities for analysis of life’s realities. In my own life and career, I have been the lucky recipient of the gift of mentorship from many wise individuals. But this is a gift that is only fully realized through sharing with others. Similar to Plato, who saw the importance of transferring the benefits he gained from Socrates to his own protege Aristotle, I now have the honour of passing on my humble insights to some of the students, peers, and staff pharmacists with whom I interact. Imagine my pleasure in finding that I am learning as much from these individuals as they are learning from me. In fact, the gift has truly come full circle.