New Short Phronesis Measure:

The Jubilee Centre for Character & Virtues

For over 2300 years, Aristotle’s concept of phronesis-practical wisdom-has been at the centre of moral philosophy, guiding discussions on virtue, character, and ethical decision-making. According to Aristotle, phronesis is the intellectual meta-virtue that directs moral actions, ensuring that virtues such as courage, generosity, and honesty are applied appropriately in different situations so that flourishing can occur.

When first coined, Aristotle did not have the analytical tools of modern social science to provide more than a theoretical account, and empirical investigations of phronesis have been few and far between ever since. This large-scale study involving approximately 4000 participants, conducted by Shane McLoughlin (Jubilee Centre; University of Birmingham), Stephen Thoma (University of Alabama), and Kristján Kristjánsson (Jubilee Centre; University of Birmingham), applied a range of quantitative methods to gain the most comprehensive empirical understanding of phronesis to date. Using nationally representative samples from the UK and the US, it examined whether Aristotle’s theoretical model aligns with a theoretically impartial psychometric analysis of the components of phronesis, and how those components relate to flourishing and a host of other key variables.

The study’s findings contribute to ongoing research in moral psychology, ethics, and character education, refining previous theoretical models and providing a new psychometric measure for assessing phronesis.

Introducing the Short Phronesis Measure

One of the challenges in researching phronesis for many years now has been the lack of a reliable measurement tool, with most existing research being theoretical. This study introduces the SPM, a validated psychometric scale designed to assess practical wisdom, freely available for other researchers to use (see the Appendix in the open access paper linked above).

This paper approached the development of the SPM aiming to be as impartial and faithful to wherever the data may lead as possible. Rather than assuming Aristotle’s ‘standard’ model was correct, the researchers first inductively analysed the data to see how phronesis-related items naturally grouped together, thereby forming a new theoretical model. Only after that did they test whether the structure of this model held up. While Aristotle’s ideas helped shape the questions, the final model came from what the data showed, rather than from theory alone. The result was a short, well-validated, and practical tool that researchers, educators, and organisations can now use.

Click the link below to read the rest of article the new measure on the Jubilee Centre website!

https://www.jubileecentre.ac.uk/project/new-short-phronesis-measure-publication/