The Noel Strengths Academy defines it this way:

• To function with fairness is to have a deep sense of, and commitment to, justice 
• A commitment to treat all people equitably 
• “Disinterested” >> Fairness is careful to not let personal feelings lead to biased decisions  
• Everyone should have the same opportunities 

• Underuse: Emotional Isolation
• Overuse: Emotional Promiscuity

Key Research:

• Rank order of Fairness in populations from:
  • US : 2;
  • European:  1
  • Asia: 1
  • Latin America: 1
  • Sub-Saharan Africa: 1
  • Middle east: 1
• In a study of character strengths and adolescent peer relationships, the strengths deemed most desirable/important in a friend were honesty, humor, kindness, and fairness, and those most connected with higher peer acceptance were perspective, love, kindness, social intelligence, teamwork, leadership, and humor (Wagner, 2018).
• In a study of character strengths and adolescent peer relationships, the strengths deemed most desirable/important in a friend were honesty, humor, kindness, and fairness, and those most connected with higher peer acceptance were perspective, love, kindness, social intelligence, teamwork, leadership, and humor (Wagner, 2018).
• Top 10 (rank order) strengths expressed at work: honesty, judgment, perspective, fairness, perseverance, love of learning, leadership, zest, curiosity, social intelligence.
• After controlling for IQ, strengths of perseverance, fairness, gratitude, honesty, hope, and perspective predicted GPA (Park & Peterson, 2008a).

Psychological impacts of fairness:

1. Fairness is linked to moral reasoning: Research has shown that individuals who score high on Fairness are more likely to engage in moral reasoning and are more likely to make decisions based on moral principles (Kohlberg, 1981).
2. Fairness is associated with social justice: Studies have found that individuals who are fair are more likely to be concerned with social justice and are more likely to work towards creating a more just society (Turiel, 2002).
3. Fairness is linked to empathy: Research has shown that individuals who are fair are more likely to be empathetic and are more likely to take the perspective of others (Davis, 1983).
4. Fairness is associated with cooperation: Studies have found that individuals who are fair are more likely to cooperate with others and are more likely to work towards common goals (Kramer et al., 1996).
5. Fairness is linked to trust: Research has shown that individuals who are fair are more likely to be trusted by others and are more likely to build strong relationships (Kramer et al., 1996).
6. Fairness is associated with conflict resolution: Studies have found that individuals who are fair are more likely to be effective in resolving conflicts and are more likely to find mutually beneficial solutions (Pruitt & Carnevale, 1993).
7. Fairness is linked to moral courage: Research has shown that individuals who are fair are more likely to stand up for what is right, even in the face of adversity, and are more likely to engage in moral acts (Kohlberg, 1981).
8. Fairness is associated with self-awareness: Studies have found that individuals who are fair are more likely to be self-aware and are more likely to recognize their own biases and limitations (Gilliland & Dunn, 2003).
9. Fairness is linked to emotional intelligence: Research has shown that individuals who are fair are more likely to be emotionally intelligent and are more likely to understand and manage their own emotions (Goleman, 1995).
10. Fairness can be developed and strengthened: VIA’s research has shown that fairness can be developed and strengthened through practice, training, and experience, and that individuals can improve their fairness over time (VIA Institute on Character, 2015).

Tayyab Rashid and Afroze Anjum offer 340 Ways to Use VIA Character Strengths including these four for Fairness:

1. Encourage equal participation of everyone involved in a discussion or activity, especially those who feel left out. Foster a reputation as an iincluder.
2. Self-monitor to see whether you think about or treat people of other ethnicities and cultures stereotypically. When dealing with people from different backgrounds, remind yourself that they are individuals with unique characteristics, opinions, and beliefs.
3. Write a letter to an editor or speak up on an important issue concerning social justice. Write in a manner that is firm, reasonable, and respectful to all concerned. Use language that emphasizes positivity and strengths.
4. Read biographies of famous people who exemplify social justice, such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela. Consider what strengths you share with these figures.

Fair is not the default. In the rush to Artificial General Intelligence and automating all the things, how will we stay in touch with our humanity when making the product design decisions of the future? Josh Lovejoy is a Staff User Experience Designer in the Experimental Design Group at Google, where he works at the intersection of product design, ethics, and artificial intelligence. He believes that human-centered design thinking can change the world for the better; that by seeking to address the unmet needs of people—instead of just technological opportunity—we can build tools that nourish, restore, and augment human capability.

Podcasts to feed your Fairness