Operationalizing Wisdom: Family Pattern Predictors, Outcomes, and the Addition of Integrity to the SD-WISE Scale
In the 21st century, researchers are still attempting to conceptualize and operationalize one of the most ancient of all qualities: wisdom. The present study builds on the already established SD-WISE scale, which proposes that wisdom is the composite of seven qualities. This study augments that scale by the inclusion of an eighth quality, integrity, and examines how this quality impacts wisdom measurement.
UNDER REVIEW
Frontiers in Psychology
The Complexities of Measuring Wisdom
Since humans developed writing, we have celebrated wisdom as a universally positive quality. However, it has been difficult to define and operationalize. That changed when the , our study aims to strengthen the psychological understanding of wisdom as a whole and explore predictors and outcomes of wisdom.
Methods
Using participant-informant pairs, we collected data on Life Satisfaction, Friendship Quality, Healthy Friction, Childhood family patterns, Wisdom, and demographics for 1646 pairs of participants. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate new additions to the SD-WISE.
Results
Preliminary results show that including Integrity helps refine the operationalization of wisdom. Additionally, wisdom was shown to have a strong relationship with life satisfaction, friendship quality, healthy friction, and various family patterns. While most all family patterns had interesting relationships with life satisfaction and other outcome variables, criticism and playing outdoors as a child had the strongest and most widely distributed impacts. Future research should focus on the role of tolerance and criticism on wisdom and determine how electronic usage can influence wisdom.
Our Research Team
Mathew Snyder
Chris Rasmussen
Gabriel Sacasa
Sydney Anthos
Andrew Molargik
