5 Psychological Traits Claiming to Unlock Wisdom
Research based -M.O.R.E Psychological Life Model-, reveals five key personal characteristics.
Humans paved history by acquiring some form of knowledge from challenging experiences. Some of us act on this information and become wiser by reflecting on our past experiences, and some others fail to take a lesson from life’s shortcomings.
On that note, researchers recently introduced the M.O.R.E Life Experience Model, supporting that:
Wisdom is manifest and has a chance to grow further when individuals face and reflect on difficult obstacles or decisions that force them to question their priorities and worldviews.
The M.O.R.E. Life Experience Model proposes five traits that help individuals manifest wisdom in the face of these challenging situations.
Sense of Mastery
Most people have a healthy sense of imaginary control that helps maintain stability and well-being.
Wise individuals, however, are more realistically aware of the uncertainty and volatility of life while also feeling that, having learned from experience, they will somehow be able to master whatever happens.
Thus, mastery is a dialectical concept that combines full awareness of life’s uncontrollability and unpredictability with trust in one’s own ability to cope. As a result, wise individuals can take action on things they can control and accept things they cannot control.
Openness
Wise individuals are interested in viewing situations from multiple perspectives. They are non-judgmental, accept goals and values that differ from their own, and enjoy learning from others. They seek out new experiences and adapt well to the changes life inevitably brings.
It is interesting how wise individuals can maintain their openness to new ideas and experiences way into old age, where openness usually declines.
Reflectivity
We define reflectivity as a person’s motivation to think about complex issues differently. Reflective people look back on life experiences and think deeply about them.
They are willing to question their past and current views and behaviors. Their goal is to develop a deeper understanding and not to reassure their opinions.
Being reflective, like being open, sets the stage for the development and growth of wisdom.
Emotion Regulation
Wise individuals are attentive to their emotions, tolerant of ambivalent feelings, and manage emotions to fits the situation.
Laypeople’s theories of wisdom often include calm in the face of conflict, which is arguably the most visible sign of emotion regulation and particular importance when dealing with adverse events.
As they aim to understand life fully, wise individuals neither suppress negative feelings nor dwell on them extensively. They are also able to appreciate the positive things in life.
Empathy
We view empathy as an important precondition for the development of wisdom: those able to take other's perspectives are more likely to develop a view of life that takes the needs of others and the common good into account.
For wise individuals, concern for others is not limited to family or friends. Still, it includes a larger view of those in need of support across humanity.
Individuals popularly cited as wise have often created significant positive change in the world.
Conclusion
The five traits capable to help you reach wisdom according to M.O.R.E Life Experience Model are:
1. Sense of Mastery
2. Openness
3. Reflectivity
5. Empathy
Conversation Note
How many of these traits have you found crucial and helpful in your journey to reach wisdom?
Is there any trait you believe missing from the above-proposed model?
Let me know in the comments!
Sources
- More on the MORE Life Experience Model: What We Have Learned (So Far) Judith Glück · Susan Bluck · Nic M. Weststrate
- Aldwin, C.M. 2007. Stress, coping, and development: An integrative approach, 2nd ed. New York: Guilford.
- Joseph, S., and P.A. Linley. 2005. Positive adjustment to threatening events: An organismic valuing theory of growth through adversity.
- Bluck, S., and J. Glück. 2004. Making things better and learning a lesson: Experiencing wisdom across the lifespan.
- Bluck, S., and J. Glück. 2005. From the inside out, People’s implicit theories of wisdom.
- Linley, P.A., and S. Joseph. 2004. Positive change following trauma and adversity: A review. Journal of Traumatic Stress 17: 11–21.
- McKee, P., and C. Barber. 1999. On defining wisdom. International Journal of Human Development 49: 149–164.
Writer Bio
My name is Georgio Ziozas. I come from sunny Greece, 25 years old.
I refer to myself as Knowledge Gangster. Maybe here lies the reason i used this name for my medium publication.
Knowledge Gangster pub focus: Brief, Credible & Simply Explained Research-based Knowledge.
Nothing fascinates me more than acquiring new knowledge, reading philosophy, using technology to make our world a better place, and watching Lord of the Rings.
Some words about my life course so far:
- I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science & Information Technologies from, University of Aegean.
- Currently studying for Master Degree in Cyber Security & Business Analytics from, University of Peiraeus.
- Member of a new groundbreaking crypto social media platform called, Bitclout. As a content creator there i write in three columns (‘Daily Dose of Knowledge’, ‘Daily Dose of Philosophy,’ ‘Daily dose of Statistics’). It’s a project you must jump in.
- Starting my own Newsletter on Substack soon.
- Also writing on: Bitclout101 Publication -All about Bitclout-.
