TOPIC 2:

PRELIMINARIES IN CHARACTER FORMATION

INTRODUCTION

Throughout time, many have acknowledged the importance of character for a flourishing life
and a virtuous society. Today, societal changes have left a gap in character formation. The
rising generation has fewer role models and fewer connections to the stable institutions in
which character is formed – families, churches, schools, and community organizations.
Character is a set of behavior traits that define what type of person you are. It determines
whether you will achieve your goals, be forthright in dealing with others and obey the rules
of the group or of the community.

Sommers (2002) states that in order for education to fully address public concerns about
decency and literacy, students’ developmental needs, and political pressures to improve
schools, a curriculum infused with moral content is needed.

Moreover, moral character is indispensable in the public service most particularly in the field
of law enforcement and or police service. The police as a noble profession demands from its
members specialized knowledge and skills and high standard of ethics and morality.

CONTENT:

1) Definition and Etymology of Character

2) The Different Kinds of Character
3) When to Say a Person Has a Good Character?
4) Agencies Responsible for Character Development
5) Difference Between Character and Personality
6) The Good Side and Bad Side of Character

OBJECTIVES:

This topic aims to:

1. Let the students understand character formation;

2. Generate understanding on the different types of character;
3. Create awareness of the students on the indications of having a good
character;
4. Inform the students on the different agencies responsible for the character
development of an individual;
5. The students to compare the character from personality; and
6. The students to apprise the good and dark side of character.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of this unit, the students will be able to:

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 1. Define character;
2. Explain the different types of character;
3. Discuss the indicator of having a good character
4. Explain the role of the different agencies responsible for character
development;
5. Contrast character from personality; and
6. Evaluate the good and dark side of character.

==================================================================
Definition of Character

 The total quality of a person’s behavior, as revealed in his habits of thought and
expression, his attitudes and interests, his actions, and his personal philosophy of life.
(The New Webster Dictionary).
 Is a psychological notion that refers to all the habitual ways of feeling and reacting
that distinguish one individual from another.
 The way someone thinks, feels, and behaves: someone's personality.
 A set of qualities that are shared by many people in a group, country, etc.

Etymology of the word Character

The English word ‘character’ is derived from the Greek charaktêr, which originally referred
to a mark impressed upon a coin. Later and more generally, ‘character’ came to mean a
distinctive mark by which one thing was distinguished from others, and then primarily to
mean the assemblage of qualities that distinguish one individual from another.

The Different Kinds of Character

1. The Continent Character is one who has selfish, amoral, or immoral desires, but
exhibits control over them in the service of acting morally. For example, a man in a
committed relationship who lusts after another woman but inhibits acting on those
feelings because the betrayal of his wife goes against the good would be acting as a
continent character. Interestingly, Kant believed that the moral and the personal
inclinations were inevitably in conflict and the times when an individual suppressed
his desires and acted morally were examples of the highest good.

2. The Incontinent Character knows what the right or virtuous thing is to do, but does
not have the self-control to live by his morals. Continuing with the example above,
this would be an individual who would know that it was wrong to betray his wife and
have a casual affair, but would give into his desires, perhaps feeling guilty afterwards.

3. The Vicious Character, in contrast, feels no conflict between inclinations and moral
duty because he has no moral sense of the good. Such individuals simply act on their
own selfish inclinations, as these are seen as what is valuable. Continuing with the
above example, a vicious character would cheat on his wife with no guilt and simply
work to solve the problem of her finding out about it so that it would not
inconvenience him.

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 4. The Virtuous Character also feels no conflict between emotional inclinations and
moral duty. Why? Because the virtuous character has trained his emotional system to
be aligned with his moral inclinations. In short, at a deep emotional level, the virtuous
character wants to do the good. While such a character might indeed have sexual
feelings for another, he would feel pride and connection in acting in a loyal,
trustworthy manner and the very thought of cheating or acting immorally is deeply
aversive for the virtuous character. Emmanuel Kant, believed that the virtuous
character represented the highest ideal.

When to Say a Person Has a Good Character?

To admire a person’s character does not require that they are perfect but it does mean we
think this is a good person worthy of trust and admiration. So when we say someone has
good character we are expressing the opinion that his or her nature is defined by worthy traits
like integrity, courage, and compassion. People of good character are guided by ethical
principles even when it’s physically dangerous or detrimental to their careers,
social standing, or economic well-being. They do the right thing even when it costs more than
they want to pay.
No one is born with good character; it’s not a hereditary trait. And it isn’t determined by a
single noble act. Character is established by conscientious adherence to moral values, not by
lofty rhetoric or good intentions. Another way of saying that is, character is ethics in action.
Good Character Traits:
 Help build respect and trust from others.
 Motivate and inspire better character from others.
 Build self-respect and confidence.
 Provide a framework for making important decisions and choices.
 Reflect leadership qualities in personal and professional endeavors.
Agencies Responsible for Character Development
Everyone wants a child, neighbour, friend or a complete stranger to possess an ideal character
worthy of emulation. Yet we know this is not easy to obtain, and once it is obtained, we must
acknowledge that the development of children who will possess and act upon ethical
sensibilities must begin when they are very young.

We want our children to be honest. We want them to respect those different from themselves.
We want them to make responsible decision maker in their lives. We want them to care about
their families, communities and themselves. These things do not happen on their own. It takes
all of us, with the support of the schools, the community and other agencies, to get us there.

1) The Home

The molding of the character of the child starts at the home. Consequently, every member of
the family should strive to make the home a wholesome and harmonious place as its
atmosphere and conditions will greatly influence the child's development. It is said that the
home is considered as the “cradle of human personality” for in it the child forms fundamental
attitudes and habits that endure throughout his life.

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General Duties of Parents in Child Rearing (PD 603, the Child and Youth Welfare Code)

a) To give him affection, companionship and understanding;

b) To extend to him the benefits of moral guidance, self-discipline and religious
instruction;
c) To supervise his activities, including his recreation;

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 d) To inculcate in him the value of industry, thrift and self-reliance;
e) To stimulate his interest in civic affairs, teach him the duties of citizenship, and
develop his commitment to his country;
f) To advise him properly on any matter affecting his development and well-being;
g) To always set a good example;
h) To provide him with adequate support, as defined in Article 290 of the Civil Code;
and
i) To administer his property, if any, according to his best interests, subject to the
provisions of Article 320 of the Civil Code.

Virtues to Emphasize by Age (From David Isaacs' book Character Building)

a) Four to Seven Years — encourage them to obey out of love

Obedience
Sincerity
Order

b) Eight to Twelve Years —Aim for satisfaction in overcoming real obstacles

Fortitude Perseverance
Industry Patience
Responsibility Justice
Generosity

c) Thirteen to Fifteen Years — give challenging but reasonable targets

Modesty Moderation Simplicity

Sociability Friendship Respect
Patriotism

d) Sixteen to Eighteen Years

Prudence Flexibility Understanding

Loyalty Audacity Humility
Optimism

2) The School

Part of a broader social process for behavior influence is the school. It is said that the school
is an extension of the home having the strategic position to control crime and delinquency; it
exercises authority over every child as a constituent.

The teachers are considered second parents having their responsibility to mold the child to
become productive members of the community by devoting energies to study the child

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behavior using all available scientific means and devices in an attempt to provide each the
kind and amount of education they need.

The school takes the responsibility of preventing the feeling of insecurity and rejection of the
child, which can contribute directly to maladjustment and to criminality by setting up
objectives of developing the child into a well-integrated and useful law-abiding citizen.

The school has also the role of working closely with the parents and neighborhood, and other
community agencies and organizations to direct the child in the most effective and
constructive way.

11 Principles of Effective Character Education

(Lickona, Schaps and Lewis 2000)

1. Promote core ethical values as the basis of good character.

2. Define character comprehensively to include thinking, feeling, and behavior.
3. Promote core values intentionally and proactively through all parts of school life.
4. Are caring communities.
5. Give students opportunities for moral action.
6. Have meaningful and challenging academic curriculums that respect learners.
7. Develop students’ intrinsic motivation.
8. Have professionals who exemplify core values and maintain a moral community.
9. Require moral leadership from educators and students.
10. Recruit parents and community members as full partners.
11. Evaluate school character, student character, and adults as character educators.

3) The Church

Religion is a positive force for good in the community and an influence against crime and
delinquency. The church influences people’s behavior with the emphasis on morals and life’s
highest spiritual values, the worth and dignity of the individual, and respect for person’s lives
and properties, and generate the full power to oppose crime and delinquency.

Just like the family and the school, the church is also responsible to cooperate with
institutions and the community in dealing with problems of children, delinquents and
criminals as regardless to the treatment and correction of criminal behaviors.

Moreover, the Child and Youth Welfare Code of the Philippines provides among
others that all churches and religious orders, congregations or groups may, conformably to
law, establish schools for the purpose of educating children in accordance with the tenets of
their religion.
4) The Community

To insure the full enjoyment of the right of every child to live in a society that offers
or guarantee him good moral environment among others for his wholesome growth and
development, it shall be the duty of the community to:

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 a) Bring about a healthy environment necessary to the normal growth of children and the
enhancement of their physical, mental and spiritual well-being;
b) Help institutions of learning, whether public or private, achieve the fundamental
objectives of education;
c) Organize or encourage movements and activities, for the furtherance of the interests
of children and youth;
d) Promote the establishment and maintenance of adequately equipped playgrounds,
parks, and other recreational facilities;
e) Support parent education programs by encouraging its members to attend and actively
participate therein;
f) Assist the State in combating and curtailing juvenile delinquency and in rehabilitating
wayward children;
g) Aid in carrying out special projects for the betterment of children in the remote areas
or belonging to cultural minorities or those who are out of school; and
h) Cooperate with private and public child welfare agencies in providing care, training
and protection to destitute, abandoned, neglected, abused, handicapped and disturbed
children.

Difference Between Character and Personality

By the term character, we mean enduring and distinguishing mental and moral characteristics
in an individual. It is the only factor which determines our reaction or response to the given
event or situation. It defines a person’s behavior pattern, thinking style, controls feelings. It is
based on the environment that surrounds us, mental ability, moral principles and similar other
factors. It is the most precious thing possessed by a person, evidenced by the limits he/she
never crossed.

Personality on the other hand can be defined as a combination of mental behavior and traits
or qualities like thinking pattern, feeling and acting. It is a range of enduring tendencies of an
individual to think, feel and behave in a specific manner in diverse situations. It refers to the
systematic arrangement of all your dispositions like attitude, thoughts, feelings, emotions,
etc. It is clear that character is different from a personality in a sense that character, shows
the inner self whereas the personality reflects the outer shell. If you combine your personality
and your character, the result will be who you are in reality.

Key Differences between Personality and Character

The significant differences between personality and character are discussed in the following
points:

1. Personality refers to the combination of qualities, attitude and behaviour, that makes a
person distinct from others. Character refers to a set of moral and mental qualities and
beliefs, which makes a person different from others.
2. Personality implies who we seem to be? On the other hand, the character represents
who we actually are?

Module in CFLM 1: Character Formation, Nationalism & Patriotism Prepared by: Jomel B. Pinera, Ph.D. Crim. Page 13
 3. Personality is a set of personal qualities whereas character is a collection of mental
and moral characteristics of an individual.
4. The personality is the mask or the identity of a person. Conversely, the character is the
learned behaviour.
5. Personality is subjective, but the character is objective.
6. Personality is the outer appearance and behaviour of a person. At the same time,
character indicates the traits of a person which are hidden from sight.
7. The personality of an individual may change with time. However, the character lasts
longer.
8. Character requires validation and support of society. In contrast, the personality, does
not need validation and support of the society.

Comparison Chart between Personality and Character

Basis of Personality Character
Comparison
Personality refers to the range of A character refers to a set of morals and
Meaning
distinctive personal qualities and beliefs that defines how we treat or
traits of an individual. behave with others and ourselves.
Represents Who we seem to be? Who we actually are?
Traits Personal and physical Mental and moral
What is it? It is the identity It is a learned behaviour
Nature Subjective Objective
Outer appearance and behaviour of a
Expression Traits of a person that is abstract.
person.
Change May change over time. Remains same.
Validation of
Not required Required
Society

The Good Side and Bad Side of Character

Character traits are valued aspects of a person's behavior. Everyone has character traits, both
good and bad. Character traits are often labeled with descriptive adjectives such as patient,
unfaithful, or jealous.
Often, someone's character and personality are intertwined. But, believe it or not, the two are
quite distinct. The easiest way to separate the two is to say personality traits are surface-level
observations, visible from the outside, while character traits are deep-seated, not immediately
obvious, and developed overtime. A new friend's outgoing, amiable personality can be easily
observed. However, her honest character will take more time to become apparent. You will
have to get to know her better to learn that her parents stressed the importance of honesty and
she has taken those lessons to heart. This would make honesty one of her character traits.
This also makes core values similar to character traits. They're more than surface-level
observations; they're guiding principles for life. Let's take a look at some character trait
examples and learn how to recognize the many variations.
The old expression that actions speak louder than words is very true when it comes to
character traits. You learn about people's character by watching how they interact with the
world. There's an endless array of character traits that can be used to describe yourself or
others.

Module in CFLM 1: Character Formation, Nationalism & Patriotism Prepared by: Jomel B. Pinera, Ph.D. Crim. Page 14
Some character traits show a person's underlying values or beliefs:
Generosity Integrity Loyalty Devotion
Loving Kindness Sincerity Self-control
Peacefulness Faithfulness Patience Determination
Persistence Adventurous Fairness Cooperation
Tolerance Optimism Spirituality

Dark Side

No one is perfect and we all have a darker side. Some character traits that have negative
connotations include:
Dishonesty Disloyalty Unkindness Meanness
Rudeness Disrespectfulness Impatience Greed
Abrasiveness Pessimism Cruelty Unmercifulness
Narcissism Obnoxious Malicious Pettiness
Quarrelsome Caustic Selfishness Unforgiving

Leadership
How about a leader or someone who likes to be in charge? We might look for the following
character traits in a boss:
Dominance Confidence Persuasiveness Ambitiousness
Bossy Resourcefulness Decisiveness Charisma
Authority Enthusiasm Boldness Proactive

**End of Topic 1**

References:

Davenport, B. (2020) 25 Good Character Traits List Essential For Happiness. Posted:
October 12, 2020 https://liveboldandbloom.com/10/relationships/good-character-traits

Eamonn Ferguson E. et al. (2014) ‘Dark Side’ and ‘Bright Side’ of Personality: When Too
Much Conscientiousness and Too Little Anxiety Are Detrimental with Respect to the
Acquisition of Medical Knowledge and Skill
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0088606

Isaacs, D. M.D. (2001-04-10) Character Building: A Guide for Parents and Teachers.
https://www.amazon.com/Character-Building-Parents-Teachers-2001-04-
10/dp/B01K04OC2M

Karimova, H. Personality & Character Traits: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
https://positivepsychology.com/character-traits/

Module in CFLM 1: Character Formation, Nationalism & Patriotism Prepared by: Jomel B. Pinera, Ph.D. Crim. Page 15
Lickona, T. et. al. (1996) Eleven Principles of Effective Character
Education https://www.researchgate.net/publication/45655772

Manwong, R. (2006) Fundamentals of Criminology, Revised Edition. Wisemans Books

Trading

Character vs Personality: https://knowyourarchetypes.com/character-vs-personality/

Virtue and the Four Types of Character: Is psychology finally opening up to the moral?
Posted June 11, 2013 https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/theory
knowledge/201306/virtue-and-the-four-types-character

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