Our entire (public) school district is using this "VIA Survey" to help students discover their character strengths. I took the "adult" version of the survey, and I was appalled at many of the questions. Many I felt were leading me in the way the survey wanted me to think. Many were downright disturbing.
For each question you answer either Very Much Like Me, Like Me, Unlike Me, Very Much Unlike Me.
Examples of questions I feel are leading or at a minimum - poorly phrased:
I do not act as if I am a special person.
My beliefs make my life important.
People describe me as full of zest.
I always keep straight right from wrong.
I love to make other people happy.
Questions I feel are promoting "group think" - for me created images of Jonestown. (and remember, this is the adult survey)
As a Leader, I try to make all group members happy.
Even if I disagree with them, I always respect the leaders of my group.
It is important to me to respect decisions made by my group.
I gladly sacrifice my self- interest for the benefit of the group I am in.
These are just examples of the ones I thought were awful. There were more.
The students all took a survey, then they will spend an entire day focusing on students top five and bottom five character traits.
My strengths came out completely wrong (with "zest" as one of my top 5, and "teamwork" at the very bottom) based on the way I viewed these awful questions.
Anyone willing to comment or even to go to the VIA Survey and take one, and then share your opinion?
↧
