Liberty University · Psychology Department · Doctoral Research
Can virtue change how you see yourself and others?
A 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.
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 applies 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, it received IRB approval on January 15, 2025, and follows APA ethical standards throughout.
How It Works
Four phases. 45 days. Entirely digital.
All procedures are administered online. Prompts arrive via email each day. You complete everything at your own pace from any device.
Complete the online registration form and provide written informed consent through a secure digital form. Recruitment is open January 20 – February 3. The sign-up page closes at end of day on February 3.
Jan 20 – Feb 3 · ~5 minOn Sunday, February 9, complete three short validated questionnaires (WHO-5, RSES, LTS) in a single online session. This captures your baseline across well-being, self-esteem, and prosocial orientation before the intervention begins.
Sun, Feb 9 · ~10 minStarting Monday, February 10, you receive one guided journaling prompt each day at 12:00 AM via email. Write freely and honestly — there are no right or wrong answers. The intervention runs through Sunday, March 2.
Feb 10 – Mar 2 · 15–20 min/dayOn Monday, March 3, repeat the same three questionnaires. On Wednesday, March 26, you receive a summary of preliminary findings, a full debriefing document, and a Certificate of Research Participation.
Mar 3 & Mar 26 · ~10 minStudy Timeline
What to expect, step by step
IRB Approval Granted
The study protocol receives formal approval from the Liberty University Institutional Review Board. All subsequent procedures are conducted under IRB oversight in full compliance with APA ethical standards.
Sign-Up Period Opens
Daily announcements begin in the Supercharged With AI newsletter (35,000+ subscribers) with a link to the study sign-up page at freudsmuse.com/study. Announcements continue every day through February 3.
Sign-Up Page Closes
The final recruitment announcement is sent. The sign-up page closes at end of day. All enrolled participants receive a confirmation email with study dates and onboarding instructions, along with the informed consent form to complete before February 9.
Pre-Test Assessment
Complete the three-instrument baseline battery — WHO-5 Well-Being Index, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Light Triad Scale — in a single online session. Basic demographic information is also collected at this point. Completion of all three instruments is required for inclusion in the final sample.
Daily Virtue Journaling
One structured journaling prompt per day delivered at 12:00 AM via email. Each prompt guides reflection on one of the seven core virtues — three days per virtue. Missing a day does not disqualify you — only completion of both assessments is required for inclusion in the final analytical sample.
Final Assessment
Complete the identical three-instrument battery (WHO-5, RSES, LTS) from Day 0, in the same sequential order. Your Day 22 scores compared to Day 0 (February 9) reveal what has shifted through the 21-day intervention. This link is sent to you by email on March 3.
Debrief, Findings & Certificate
Approximately three weeks after the post-test, receive a group-level summary of the study's preliminary findings, a full debriefing document explaining the theoretical framework and expected contributions to the literature, and a Certificate of Research Participation acknowledging your contribution.
What We Measure
Three validated instruments. Two time points.
All three measures are widely used, psychometrically robust, and brief. You complete them on February 9 (baseline) and March 3 (post-intervention) to detect intra-individual change.
Five positively worded items rating how often over the past two weeks you have felt cheerful, calm, active, rested, and engaged with your daily life. Responses use a 6-point scale from "At no time" to "All of the time." Raw scores are converted to a 0–100 percentage scale; scores below 50 may indicate poor well-being warranting follow-up.
Ten items assessing global feelings of self-worth and self-acceptance through both positively and negatively worded statements. Each rated on a 4-point scale from "Strongly disagree" to "Strongly agree." Negatively worded items are reverse-scored before summing. The most widely used self-esteem measure in psychological research worldwide.
Twelve items measuring three positively valenced interpersonal dispositions: Humanism (valuing the worth and dignity of persons), Faith in Humanity (believing in people's fundamental goodness), and Kantianism (treating people as ends in themselves, not as means to one's own ends). Scored as a 1–5 mean across all items.
Eligibility
Who can participate?
YOU QUALIFY IF YOU ARE…
- 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 all 21 days and both questionnaires
- Able to provide voluntary written informed consent by February 7
YOU DO NOT QUALIFY IF YOU…
- ✕Are currently incarcerated or under court-ordered supervision
- ✕Participated in a prior pilot or earlier round of this virtues program
- ✕Are currently enrolled in another structured well-being or virtue intervention study
Missing a day is okay. If you miss one or more daily journaling prompts during the February 10 – March 2 period, you will not be excluded from the study — provided you complete both the pre-test (February 9) and post-test (March 3) assessments. Partial participation is welcomed.
Your Privacy
Your data. Protected. Always.
All responses are confidential. Published results will never identify individual participants. You may withdraw at any time — and your data will be immediately destroyed upon request.
Pseudonymized Data
Your name is replaced with a pseudonym. No personally identifiable information appears in any published findings.
Secure Storage
Data is stored on a password-locked computer and locked filing cabinet. Only the researcher and faculty supervisor have access.
Deleted After 3 Years
All electronic records are permanently deleted and hardcopy records shredded three years after study completion.
Withdraw Anytime
Fully voluntary. Withdrawing will not affect your relationship with Liberty University, and your data is immediately destroyed upon request.
Ready to Begin?
Three forms. Completed in sequence.
Recruitment is open January 20 – February 3. Register and consent first, then complete the pre-test on February 9. The post-test link will be sent to you on March 3.
Registration & Consent
Provide your participant information (name, contact details, demographics) and digitally sign your informed consent. All information is held in strict confidence. Complete any time between January 20 and February 3. Consent form must be returned by February 7.
Pre-Test Questionnaire
Complete the three-instrument baseline battery — WHO-5 Well-Being Index, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Light Triad Scale — in a single online session on Sunday, February 9. This is your personal starting point before the 21-day journaling begins on February 10.
Post-Test Questionnaire
Completed on Monday, March 3 — the day after the 21-day journaling period ends on March 2. This form repeats the same three instruments in the same order as February 9. You will receive this link by email on March 3.
Questions?
Reach out any time.
We're happy to answer any questions about the study, eligibility, or procedures before you decide to participate.
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