virtuebuilding
Virtuebuilding refers to a deliberate process of developing virtuous character traits in individuals or groups, through practices that cultivate moral dispositions rather than merely teaching information or procedural skills. The term combines virtue ethics emphasis with the process-oriented suffix -building.
It is used in education, organizational development, and community leadership to foster traits such as honesty,
Scholarly roots lie in virtue ethics dating to Aristotle and Confucian moral cultivation; in modern use it
Methods include structured curricula, habit formation routines, role modeling by leaders, mentoring, reflective practice, ethical codes,
Evaluation is challenging; researchers use behavioral indicators, moral reasoning assessments, peer evaluations, ethical climate surveys, and
Critiques note risks of prescriptivism, cultural bias, and potential coercion or virtue signaling. Critics argue that
See also: virtue ethics, character education, moral development, ethics training.