VIA character strengths test
A self-reflection test exploring the character strengths that show up in your everyday choices.
About 7 min · 48 questions · For self-reflection, not diagnosis · Results stay in your browser
When a better way comes to mind, I try it even for small things.
Before You Start
How the VIA character strengths test scores and ranks 24 strengths, and how to read your signature strengths and shared ranks.
Answer Honestly, Read Carefully
Think of what you actually do often without tiring, not of strengths that sound impressive. The result ranks the strengths you reach for right now; it is not a scorecard of virtues.
Limits
It is far shorter than the official VIA survey, so it cannot tell close strengths apart. A high score is no guarantee you always do well in that area, so please do not use the result to rate ability or compare people.
Related Tests
What your result shows
- All 24 character strengths get a 0–100 score and a rank, and the top five are shown as your Top 5 signature strengths.
- Each Top 5 strength comes with ways to put it to work in daily life, what overdoing it looks like, and one small action to try during the week.
- Each strength is measured by two items, so scores move in 12.5-point steps and ties are common; tied strengths share a rank such as “Tied #2”.
- The full list groups the 24 strengths under six virtues: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance and transcendence.
Sample result preview
An illustrative example, not real answers. The numbers are ones the result page’s scoring can actually produce.
Curiosity · Signature strength · Wisdom
An example with one clear top strength and two strengths tied for second (only the Top 5 of 24 shown).
- Curiosity: 100 · #1
- Kindness: 88 · Tied #2
- Humor: 88 · Tied #2
- Fairness: 75 · #4
- Hope: 63 · #5
Kindness and humor both score 88, so they share second place and the next strength is ranked fourth. If other strengths share Hope’s score of 63 in fifth place, the result page names them too.
Who this test suits
- Anyone who wants concrete words for their strengths in a cover letter or an interview.
- Anyone in a worn-out stretch who wants to recover by recalling what they do well.
- Anyone with about 7 minutes to focus, even though there are a few more questions.
When another test fits better
- RIASEC Interests →If you also want career directions that make use of your strengths.
- Self-esteem test →If how you treat yourself matters more to you than your strengths.
- Big Five →If you want broad personality traits rather than strengths.
How to read your results
How It Works
There are 48 statements, two for each of the 24 character strengths, and you answer each on a five-step scale from “Strongly disagree” to “Strongly agree.” One statement describes using the strength readily and the other describes rarely using it, so the second is scored in reverse.
Each strength’s two answers are averaged and converted to 0–100, so every score is one of nine values: 0, 13, 25, 38, 50, 63, 75, 88 or 100. The 24 strengths are ranked by these scores, and strengths with the same score share a rank.
Score Interpretation
With only nine possible scores, a difference of one or two places in the ranking means little. If three strengths score 88, read all three as strengths you use about equally often. The readings follow three bands: 75 and above is high, 38–63 is mid and 25 or below is low.
Even a signature strength can become a burden when overused. Curiosity at 100 means a strong drive to learn new things, but also attention that scatters easily when tasks pile up. A low-scoring strength is not a flaw to fix, just one you drew on less in these answers.
Guides to read alongside
- Character strengths ranked: all 24 VIA strengths among Korean and US respondentsKorean respondents rated honesty, love and fairness highest. All 24 VIA strengths ranked for Korea and the US from a 75-nation study, and how to read them.
- VIA strengths vs RIASEC: what does each show?VIA reveals the character strengths that energize you; RIASEC maps the work you are drawn to. Learn to read both together and use your strengths at work.
- RIASEC vs strengths tests: when to use eachRIASEC shows the work you are drawn to; the strengths test shows the character strengths you lean on. See when to use each and test both in small experiments.
Frequently asked questions
What does the VIA character strengths test show?
It ranks the 24 character strengths described in positive psychology by how often and how naturally you use them. Your top five are treated as signature strengths, each with ways to use it at work and in relationships and signs that you are overusing it.
How long does the strengths test take?
It has 48 statements and takes about 7 minutes, at no cost. Covering all 24 strengths makes it a little longer than most, so it is best done in one sitting when you can focus.
Are my lowest-ranked strengths my weaknesses?
No. VIA does not look for weaknesses; it shows the strengths you reach for less often. Lower strengths are resources you can practice when needed, and it is usually more useful to notice when you overplay a signature strength.
Is this the official VIA survey?
It uses the same 24-strength classification but is not the VIA Institute’s official survey (the VIA-IS); it is a shorter set of statements. Rather than comparing it with official scores, use it as a light starting point for reflecting on your strengths.
My top strengths shift a little each time.
When strengths score close together, the order of the top five changes easily. A strength that reaches the top again and again is more likely to be a true signature strength, so compare runs on My Results and look for the ones that keep appearing.
Several strengths tied for first place.
That is not unusual. Because each strength is measured by just two items, the score has few steps and first place is easy to share; the result page then shows all of them as co-signature strengths instead of picking one at random. Think of situations where those strengths show up together, or retake the test later to see which ones stay at the top.