Beyond Self-Interest

Not to be confused with modesty or low self-esteem, humility is a multifaceted construct that is quite different from the misguided caricature that humble people are weak or timid and do not value themselves. In contrast, humility is a hypo-egoic phenomenon that involves a nondefensive willingness to see oneself accurately by acknowledging one’s personal limitations, combined with an appreciation for the strengths and contributions of other people from which one can learn. Research is reviewed that investigates humility both as a general dispositional characteristic, as well as in terms of the two specific domains of intellectual and relational humility. Although research clearly portrays humility primarily as a positive character strength, the potential liabilities of humility are also noted. The chapter also examines efforts to measure humility through self-reports and alternative approaches, along with the significant challenges of creating valid measures of humility.