Fairness
“I treat everyone equally and fairly, and give everyone the same chance applying the same rules to everyone.”
Become Aware Of Your Strength
What is Fairness?
Fairness is treating people justly, not letting your personal feelings bias your decisions about others. You want to give everyone a fair chance, and believe there should be equal opportunity for all, though you also realize that what is fair for one person might not be fair for another. This speaks to the value of empathy, perspective, and compassion in handling different situations and people.
Fairness is a cognitive judgment capacity that involves reasoning and making judgments. It involves 2 types of reasoning:
Justice reasoning which emphasizes logic and weighing principles to determine moral rights and responsibilities.
Care reasoning which includes empathy and compassion; the ability to put yourself in somebody else's shoes.
Fairness is a recognized character strength that contributes to well-being and improved outcomes in both personal and professional life. Understanding this strength can teach us how to approach unfair situations with grace and clarity, and how to support the moral development of a child or adult.
Fairness is a strength within the virtue category of justice, one of six virtues that subcategorize the 24 character strengths. Justice describes strengths that help you connect in community or group-based situations. The other strengths in Justice are fairness, leadership, and teamwork.
Being aware of this character quality helps us identify what truly matters in our interactions with others. Whether at work or at home, thinking about fairness as a lesson in empathy and justice helps us considered more carefully how we treat those around us. It shapes our perspective on things that may seem small but are deeply meaningful—how we listen, how we respond, how we stop to reflect on fairness.
Explore and Apply Your Strength
Where does fairness appear in your character strengths profile?
Research findings on the benefits of the strength of fairness found that fair-minded individuals are more likely to engage in positive, prosocial behaviors and less likely to engage in illegal and immoral behavior. Learn how to activate this strength and all of your other strengths with your personalized Total 24 Report.
- Frequently Asked Questions About Fairness
- What does it mean if fairness is one of my top strengths?
It suggests you consistently treat others with impartiality, even when it's difficult. You likely value justice and are guided by principle over bias. Your personality report can offer deeper insight into how this strength influences your decisions and interactions.
- What if fairness is low in my strengths profile?
It doesn't mean you're unfair. It may simply not be a dominant trait you rely on. Your profile helps you become more aware and intentional about how you show up in different situations.
- Can I develop fairness even if it’s not a top strength?
Yes. All 24 character strengths are developable. Reflecting on decisions, practicing empathy, and applying consistent standards can help strengthen fairness over time.
- How is fairness measured in the VIA assessment?
Through self-reflective questions that assess how often and how consistently you prioritize justice, impartiality, and equal treatment in your daily life.