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The nonprofit VIA Institute on Character was founded to create a scientifically rigorous classification of character strengths (the VIA Classification) and a way of measuring them (the VIA Survey). 

The Institute is devoted to advancing the scientific understanding about character.

Latest News

 
Using Poetry to Connect
 Deb Pinger, Executive Director of the VIA Institute on Character, shares information about a new social-networking website that enhances people's connections with one another through four-line poems.

Christopher Peterson
VIA Science Director


Chris Peterson,  professor at the University of Michigan since 1986, is a member of the Positive Psychology Steering Committee, a consulting editor of the Journal of Positive Psychology and a former Templeton Senior Fellow.  He led the creation of the VIA Classification of Strengths. He is coauthor of Character Strengths and Virtues, A Handbook and Classification and is one of the world's 100 most cited psychologists.  He is one of the founding fathers of Positive Psychology.

Funding Partners

The VIA Institute is committed to a two-fold approach to funding.  First, we are interested in convening grantmakers who are interested in advancing the development of character strengths, primarily in education, business, and social services.  Second, VIA is interested in creating a community fund generated from and directed by its members.  Interested?  Get in touch with us.  

Welcome Members!

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VIA members are psychologists, counselors, coaches and other professionals interested in using character strengths in working with people. VIA membership is separate from the registration required to take the VIA Survey. Both are free.

What are the Top Signature Strengths?

Neal H. Mayerson, Ph.D., Chairman, VIA Institute

VIA was interested in answering the question: “With what frequency do the various character strengths show up as 'signature strengths' in individuals’ profiles?” To answer this, we looked at three random samples of 100 people each who have taken the VIA Survey.  The samples were from February, May, and July of 2008. 

We looked at the frequencies with which each of the 24 VIA character strengths were among people’s top five strengths.  That is, we looked at the frequencies with which each strength shows up as a “signature strength”.

The five most common signature strengths and their frequencies...MORE



How do the character strengths of our presidential candidates match up with our ideals? Take a few minutes to voice your opinion, then e-mail the site to your friends. Let's elevate the national discourse on character.

VIA Funds Research

While we are not issuing a request for proposals at this time, VIA is interested in supporting research related to applications of the character strengths and virtues. We are particularly interested in the domains of education and business. We plan to fund a handful of research projects in 2008.  To begin a conversation, please contact us. 

Shop VIA

Coming soon! An online store offering books, posters, gift items, consultation and training tools. Click on the following books, which are about or use the VIA Survey, to order them directly from Amazon.com

   

Take the Survey


Nearly 1 million people worldwide have taken the VIA Inventory of Signature Strengths, also known as the VIA Survey on Character. All surveys at the center are free and confidential, and require free registration. The survey center includes:

CHARACTER STRENGTHS AND VIRTUES: A Handbook and Classification

Christopher Peterson
Martin E. P. Seligman

...Destined to become a classic—both in the social sciences and in the humanities. -George E. Vaillant, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Director of Research for the Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital

...One of the most important initiatives in psychology of the past half century. - Howard Gardner, Hobbs Professor of Education and Cognition, Harvard Graduate School of Education.

This work provides a needed psychological foundation for studying some of the attributes that are most important to a world that is foundering on the shoals of wars, terrorism, and atrocities. I recommend the book very highly.- Robert J. Sternberg, IBM Professor of Psychology and Education, Yale University; Director, Center for the Psychology of Abilities, Competencies, and Expertise (PACE Center), Yale University; Past President, American Psychological Association

Not since Skinner have psychologists been so bold as to suggest a science of human character and virtue. ... My hope is that it will transport scientific psychology into fields of discourse that have rarely considered it before.- Claude Steele, Ph.D., Chair and Professor, Psychology Department, Stanford University

 

The VIA Library

 

The library is located in the VIA Community and is open to all members.  It contains a growing collection of published articles, unpublished papers, books, and electronic information sources. Wherever possible, you'll find a link to the source so you may purchase the book or article. 

Please help us expand the library so that it becomes the most comprehensive collection of information about positive psychology, and, specifically its backbone, the character strengths and virtues.