What will I learn about: Character is not a fixed trait, but rather a flexible product of psychological mechanisms constantly competing to control our behavior based on the immediate context?

Character is not a fixed trait, but rather a flexible product of psychological mechanisms constantly competing to control our behavior based on the immediate context.

What will I learn about: Hypocrisy rarely feels like a moral violation to the perpetrator; instead, the human mind simply shifts its moral framework to justify its immediate needs?

Hypocrisy rarely feels like a moral violation to the perpetrator; instead, the human mind simply shifts its moral framework to justify its immediate needs.

What will I learn about: The narrow divide between compassion and cruelty is dictated by whether we perceive someone as part of our 'in-group,' a perception that can be expanded through exposure to diverse people?

The narrow divide between compassion and cruelty is dictated by whether we perceive someone as part of our 'in-group,' a perception that can be expanded through exposure to diverse people.

What will I learn about: A person's willingness to take risks is heavily influenced by their emotional state, with anger causing an overestimation of negative outcomes and happiness causing an overestimation of positive ones?

A person's willingness to take risks is heavily influenced by their emotional state, with anger causing an overestimation of negative outcomes and happiness causing an overestimation of positive ones.

What will I learn about: Even individuals who believe themselves to be prejudice-free harbor subconscious biases that can easily surface when they are subjected to anger or high stress?

Even individuals who believe themselves to be prejudice-free harbor subconscious biases that can easily surface when they are subjected to anger or high stress.

Out of Character

Surprising Truths about the Liar, Cheat, Sinner (and Saint) Lurking in All of Us

David DeSteno and Piercarlo Valdesolo

★ 4.0 / 5(40 ratings)

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Categories:

Psychology

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Why do the ant and the grasshopper represent our internal moral struggles much better than the traditional angel and devil on our shoulders?
💡How can watching a comedy show like Saturday Night Live completely alter a person's moral judgment when faced with a life-or-death dilemma?
💡In what surprising way did seemingly negative traits like hubris actually help unemployed stockbrokers protect their self-worth after the 2007 financial crisis?

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Key Takeaways from Out of Character

✓Character is not a fixed trait, but rather a flexible product of psychological mechanisms constantly competing to control our behavior based on the immediate context.
✓Hypocrisy rarely feels like a moral violation to the perpetrator; instead, the human mind simply shifts its moral framework to justify its immediate needs.
✓The narrow divide between compassion and cruelty is dictated by whether we perceive someone as part of our 'in-group,' a perception that can be expanded through exposure to diverse people.
✓A person's willingness to take risks is heavily influenced by their emotional state, with anger causing an overestimation of negative outcomes and happiness causing an overestimation of positive ones.
✓Even individuals who believe themselves to be prejudice-free harbor subconscious biases that can easily surface when they are subjected to anger or high stress.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Out of Character

Mind Map

Out of Character

Illusion of Fixed Character+

Morality & Hypocrisy+

Lust & Jealousy+

The Value of Pride+

Compassion vs. Cruelty+

Gratitude & Trust+

Perception of Risk+

Prejudice & Stereotypes+

Actionable Takeaways+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8

Why do the authors suggest that the fable of the ant and the grasshopper is a better metaphor for human character than the angel and the devil?

A. It perfectly illustrates the eternal battle between absolute good and absolute evil.
B. It represents the internal struggle between seeking immediate rewards and engaging in long-term planning.
C. It demonstrates that human beings are naturally lazy and must be forced to work hard.
D. It highlights how our environment is the sole factor in determining our moral choices.

Question 2 of 8

According to the book, how should we best understand the concept of hypocrisy?

A. As a complete lack of any moral foundation or empathy.
B. As an intentional strategy to harm others for personal financial gain.
C. As the act of shifting one's moral standards to better suit personal needs.
D. As a psychological disorder that prevents people from recognizing the truth.

Question 3 of 8

What is the primary driver behind physical attraction, or lust, according to the text?

A. Evolutionary associations with the ability to pass on healthy genes, such as bodily symmetry.
B. The subconscious desire to find a partner who shares our exact personality traits.
C. A spiritual search to find our 'missing half,' as originally described by Plato.
D. The cultural conditioning we receive from romantic movies and media.

Question 4 of 8

While hubris (unearned pride) is often viewed negatively, what surprising benefit can it provide in certain situations?

A. It makes individuals significantly more compassionate toward marginalized groups.
B. It allows people to maintain their social status and self-worth during difficult times, such as unemployment.
C. It encourages people to be more honest and transparent in their business dealings.
D. It completely eliminates subconscious prejudices and stereotypes.

Question 5 of 8

What primary factor determines whether we treat someone with compassion or cruelty?

A. The fixed, unchangeable moral character we are born with.
B. The amount of gratitude we have experienced in the past 24 hours.
C. Whether we perceive the person as being similar to ourselves.
D. The level of physical attractiveness of the person in need.

Question 6 of 8

Based on the token experiment mentioned in the book, how does feeling gratitude affect human behavior?

A. It makes people more skeptical of others and less likely to take financial risks.
B. It builds trust and makes people more willing to cooperate and share resources.
C. It causes people to become overly confident, leading to careless mistakes.
D. It only influences behavior toward the specific individual who originally helped them.

Question 7 of 8

How does experiencing anger influence a person's perception of risk?

A. It causes people to overestimate the chances of negative, aggravating events occurring.
B. It makes people entirely risk-averse, refusing to take any chances.
C. It leads people to overestimate the likelihood of positive events taking place.
D. It has no effect on risk perception; only age and biology influence risk-taking.

Question 8 of 8

When are our subconscious prejudices and stereotypes most likely to manifest in our behavior?

A. When we are surrounded by a diverse group of people.
B. When we are feeling happy and relaxed.
C. When we are engaged in complex, long-term planning.
D. When we are angry or stressed out.

Out of Character — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2Character is the result of opposing forces battling in every moment.
3Hypocrisy and morality are more closely connected than you might imagine.
4Even the most loyal partner can be swept away by desire for someone else.
5Pride isn’t always harmful, but can be when it hasn’t been earned.
6Kind or cruel? It all depends on how we see other people.
7Experiencing gratitude shapes how we act and who we rely on.
8Willingness to gamble is driven less by character than by felt risks and rewards.
9Biases and stereotypes may shape what you do more than you realize.

Out of Character Summary & Overview

Out of Character (2011), introduces a more flexible idea about character that goes beyond the classic dichotomy of the saint and the sinner. These blinks use psychological experiments to demonstrate how many of the traits we consider fixed are prone to influence by outside events, often in surprising ways.

Who Should Listen to Out of Character?

Students of psychology and philosophy
Anyone who is interested in human behavior

About the Author: David DeSteno and Piercarlo Valdesolo

David DeSteno is an associate professor of psychology at Northeastern University and director of the school’s Social Emotions Lab. His work has been published in The New York Times and Scientific American.

Piercarlo Valdesolo is an assistant professor of psychology at Claremont McKenna College. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek and many other notable publications.

Out of Character

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to Out of Character — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from Out of Character

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Out of Character — Full Chapter Overview

Out of Character Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to Out of Character?

About the Author: David DeSteno and Piercarlo Valdesolo

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