Questions of Character

Virtues, vices, and character

Christian B. Miller Ph.D., Blaine Fowers Ph.D., Bradford Cokelet Ph.D.

True Generosity Involves More Than Just Giving

Is Bill Gates really a generous person? How can we tell if anyone is?

Work-Life Balance: Luxury or Ethical Necessity?

Are long hours and difficulties unplugging making you a worse person?

What Makes a Person Kind?

What is kindness and where does it come from?

In my recent blog posts, I have mentioned certain studies in psychology with dramatic findings about cheating. And when we look at these studies together we find a deeply puzzling pattern that begins to emerge.

Are Most People Dishonest? Thankfully, No

Watching the news today, it is easy to think that most people must be dishonest. But studies suggest that, at least for most of us, our characters are not so bad that they deserved to be labeled dishonesty.

Are Cheaters the Exception or the Rule?

Cheating is very much in the news again. Anthony Weiner and the Internet. Baseball players and performance enhancing drugs. 70 Harvard University undergraduate students and their take-home exam. Are these just exceptional cases, and most of us are basically honest, trustworthy people? Or instead are most of us inclined to cheat too when the right opportunity comes along?