Liberty University · Psychology Department · Doctoral Research
Can virtue change how you see yourself and others?
A completed 21-day research study exploring how cultivating timeless virtues — Faith, Courage, Integrity, Compassion, Generosity, Respect, and Humility — may transform self-esteem, prosocial orientation, and psychological well-being. 50 participants. Results coming soon.
The Research
Why virtues, and why now?
Character development has been studied for millennia — but rarely through controlled, longitudinal methods that measure real psychological impact. This doctoral study applied three validated psychometric tools to examine whether a structured, reflective virtue journaling practice produces measurable improvements in self-esteem, prosocial orientation, and psychological well-being.
This is the first empirical study of this specific seven-virtue journaling protocol. Conducted at Liberty University's Psychology Department and following APA ethical standards throughout, the study enrolled 50 participants between January and February 2025 and was completed successfully in March 2025. Full findings are currently being prepared for publication.
How It Worked
Four phases. 45 days. Entirely digital.
All procedures were administered online. Prompts were delivered via email each day. Participants completed everything at their own pace from any device.
Participants registered through the study sign-up page between January 20 and February 3 and provided written informed consent digitally, with a 5-day onboarding window before the pre-test.
Jan 20 – Feb 7On February 9, all participants completed three validated questionnaires — WHO-5, RSES, and LTS — in a single online session, capturing baseline measurements before the intervention began.
Sunday, February 9From February 10 through March 2, participants received one structured journaling prompt per day at 12:00 AM via email. Each prompt guided reflection on one of seven core virtues — three days per virtue.
Feb 10 – Mar 2On March 3, participants repeated the same three-instrument battery. On March 26, they received preliminary findings, a full debriefing document, and a Certificate of Research Participation. Full results are now in preparation.
Mar 3 & Mar 26Study Timeline
From first prompt to final debrief
Sign-Up Period Opens
Daily announcements ran in the Supercharged With AI newsletter (35,000+ subscribers) from January 20 through February 3, directing readers to the study sign-up page at freudsmuse.com/study.
Enrolment Closed · 50 Participants Confirmed
The sign-up page closed at end of day on February 3. All enrolled participants received confirmation, onboarding instructions, and the informed consent form — to be returned before February 9.
Pre-Test Assessment
All 50 participants completed the three-instrument baseline battery — WHO-5 Well-Being Index, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Light Triad Scale — in a single online session, along with basic demographic information.
21-Day Virtue Journaling
One structured journaling prompt was delivered each day at 12:00 AM via email. Each prompt guided reflection on one of the seven core virtues — three days per virtue. Daily completion was tracked via email response.
Post-Test Assessment
Participants completed the identical three-instrument battery in the same sequential order as February 9. Pre- and post-test scores together form the primary outcome dataset for statistical analysis.
Debrief, Findings & Certificates
All participants received a group-level summary of preliminary findings, a full debriefing document, and a Certificate of Research Participation. Full statistical results and academic write-up are currently in preparation.
What We Measured
Three validated instruments. Two time points.
All three measures were administered on February 9 (baseline) and March 3 (post-intervention) to detect intra-individual change across the 21-day period.
Five positively worded items rating how often over the past two weeks participants felt cheerful, calm, active, rested, and engaged with daily life. Responses use a 6-point scale from "At no time" to "All of the time." Raw scores converted to a 0–100 scale.
Ten items assessing global feelings of self-worth and self-acceptance through both positively and negatively worded statements, rated on a 4-point scale. Five negatively worded items are reverse-scored before summing. The most widely used self-esteem measure worldwide.
Twelve items measuring three positively valenced interpersonal dispositions: Humanism, Faith in Humanity, and Kantianism. Scored as a 1–5 mean across all items, with three subscales of four items each.
Who Participated
Participant eligibility criteria
PARTICIPANTS WERE REQUIRED TO BE…
- 18 years of age or older
- Proficient in written and spoken English
- Able to access email on a smartphone or computer
- Willing and able to complete both pre- and post-test assessments
- Able to provide voluntary written informed consent
PARTICIPANTS WERE EXCLUDED IF THEY…
- ✕Were currently incarcerated or under court-ordered supervision
- ✕Had participated in a prior pilot or earlier round of this virtues program
- ✕Were currently enrolled in another structured well-being or virtue intervention study
Partial adherence was accepted. Missing one or more daily journaling prompts did not result in exclusion — provided participants completed both the pre-test (February 9) and post-test (March 3). Non-completion of daily journaling was treated as partial adherence, consistent with the intention-to-treat principle.
Data & Privacy
Your data. Protected. Always.
All responses are confidential. Published results will never identify individual participants. Participants may request their data be destroyed at any time.
Pseudonymized Data
Each participant's name was replaced with an anonymized code. No personally identifiable information appears in any published findings.
Secure Storage
Data is stored on a password-locked device accessible only to the researcher and faculty supervisor.
Deleted After 3 Years
All electronic records are permanently deleted and hardcopy records shredded three years after study completion.
Right to Withdraw
Participation was fully voluntary. Any participant may request immediate destruction of their data at any time after the study.
Study Results
The data is in. Analysis underway.
The 21-Day Virtue Cultivation Study concluded successfully in March 2025 with 50 participants completing the full protocol. Statistical analysis using one-tailed dependent samples t-tests with Bonferroni correction is currently underway. Full findings will be shared here and with all participants upon completion.
Self-Esteem
Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) scores collected at baseline (Feb 9) and post-intervention (Mar 3) across all 50 participants.
Prosocial Orientation
Light Triad Scale (LTS) scores measuring Humanism, Faith in Humanity, and Kantianism before and after the 21-day intervention.
Psychological Well-Being
WHO-5 Well-Being Index scores measuring subjective well-being at two time points across the full participant sample.
Study Archive
Study forms — now closed
The following forms were used to administer the study. Enrolment is closed. These links are preserved here for reference and transparency.
[Registration Form Title]
Participant registration and written informed consent. Completed by all enrolled participants between January 20 and February 7, 2025.
[Pre-Test Form Title]
Baseline measurement battery — WHO-5, RSES, and LTS — administered in a single online session on February 9, 2025.
[Post-Test Form Title]
Post-intervention measurement battery — same three instruments in identical order — administered on March 3, 2025. Primary outcome dataset for statistical analysis.
Questions?
Reach out any time.
Questions about the study, its findings, or your participation are welcome at any time.