Fairness involves treating everyone according to universal ideals of equality and justice. Fair individuals do not let their personal feelings bias their moral or ethical decisions about others, but instead rely on a broad set of moral values.  True fairness incorporates both a respect for moral guidelines and a compassionate approach to caring for others.  This strength is applicable at all levels of society, from everyday interactions to international issues of social justice.

How to demonstrate this Character Strength:

Movies: The Emperor’s Club (2002), Philadelphia (1993)

Suggested strategies that correlate with this strength:

  1. The next time you make a mistake, self-monitor to see whether you admit it.
  2. The next time you present an argument, self-monitor to see whether you compromise fairness for social desirability.
  3. Encourage equal participation of everyone, especially those who feel left out in a discussion. Activity.
  4. Self-monitor to see whether your judgements are affected by your personal likes and dislikes or are based on principles of justice and fairness.
  5. Recall and write about instances where you were unfair or could have been fairer.  Consider how you could improve your future behaviour.
  6. Self-monitor to see whether you think about or treat people of other ethnicities and cultures stereotypically.
  7. Serve on a club or organisation that offers unprivileged people a level playing field.
  8. Write a letter to an editor or speak up on an important issues concerning social justice.
  9. Politely discuss fairness with a friend whom you notice shows gender or ethnic bias.
  10. Volunteer or learn about an organisation which educates and campaigns for equal human rights
  11. Explore an ongoing even anywhere in the world where human rights are being violated and write your reactions and suggestions to promote social justice on that issue.
  12. Watch a film or a documentary which exemplifies fairness, social justice and equity.
  13. Read biographies of famous people who exemplify social justice such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela.
  14. Speak up for your group.

Remember, when you are doing something in life that uses your strengths, it will strengthen you. When you are doing something in life that requires you to use your lower strengths, or weaknesses, it will weaken you. You can use your strengths to accommodate for your weaknesses.

By monitoring the above, you will be able to catch when there is an incongruence in this personal strength. An incongruence will compromise you and cause inner conflict, so the above will help you keep on the right track.

 

References:

Niemiec, R. M, 2017, Character Strengths Interventions, Hogrefe, Boston

Tayyab, R., Anjum, A., 2005, 340 Ways to Use VIA Character Strengths, University of Pennsylvania