HONEST DEFINITION:honorable in intentions; straightforward in conduct CATEGORIES:interactive, moral SIMILAR ATTRIBUTES:authentic, direct, frank, genuine, sincere, straightforward, truthful POSSIBLE CAUSES: Having a strong sense of honor Having firm opinions about right and wrong Having no filter; saying what comes to mind without thought Wanting healthy, functional relationships Not being affected by what others may think or feel Being hurt in the past by the concealment of truth Being responsible Valuing trustworthiness Being pure and innocent (e.g. children) ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS: Owning up to one’s mistakes Acknowledging one’s weaknesses Striving to balance honesty and tact Failing to find balance and exhibiting a lack of tact Redirecting the conversation in an effort to avoid lying Respecting the privacy of others Being uncomfortable with keeping secrets or knowledge from others Being authentic Working through problems in relationships by talking things out Keeping meticulous records so as to dispel any accusation of dishonesty Looking others in the eye Openness Speaking in an even tone; using minimal hand gestures Using facial expressions that match one’s words Not making excuses; simply relaying the facts Returning found items Admitting to one’s feelings if asked Showing empathy for others Thanking others for their honesty Viewing things in black or white Sticking to one’s commitments Offering an honest opinion whether it’s requested or not Having a strong conscience Whistle-blowing when one encounters dishonesty (plagiarism, cheating, etc.) Being unbiased and lacking prejudice Living free of most guilt or shame Respecting others enough to be truthful Speaking without hesitation Being emotionally stable and non-reactive Generally being a rule follower Getting right to the point instead of working up to it Repeating details the same way during multiple retellings Feeling freed by telling the truth Happiness and fulfillment A strong sense of fairness and justice ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS: This is the second time Brian’s numbers have been off. I’ll let accounting know. I know I’m supposed to play hard to get, but that’s not who I am. Tim’s supposed to be on work disability, so what is he doing fixing his roof? Oh my. I’ve got to catch Marta and tell her she’s got a dryer sheet stuck to her dress. I guess I should ask Rita to meet me for lunch so I can tell her how I feel. ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:confidence, curiosity, determination, pride, reluctance, resignation, satisfaction POSITIVE ASPECTS:Characters who are honest are generally happy and content because they live each day staying true to who they are. This authenticity means not having to fabricate a story, line, or excuse, and not fearing being caught in one’s lies. If a candid evaluation or opinion is needed, honest characters are gold beyond measure. They say what they mean and can be relied on to not put friendship before truth, making them trustworthy and reliable. NEGATIVE ASPECTS:Honest characters don’t always know when directness is unwanted or unnecessary. Sometimes they view things in such extremes of black or white that their forthrightness comes across as being overly blunt. It’s easy for honest characters to give advice unsolicited; on occasions when a listening ear would be preferred, they have difficulty not evaluating the problem and offering opinions. EXAMPLE FROM FILM:InKate and Leopold, leading man Leopold is a duke, an idealist, and a highly principled character. He finds any form of dishonesty repugnant, whether it be marrying a woman he doesn’t love or endorsing a product he despises. His integrity provides much conflict when it clashes with the ideals of less principled characters in the story, such as his career-driven love interest.Other Examples from Film and TV:Spock (Star Trekfranchise), Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory) TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:gossipy, nagging, nosy, sentimental, tactless, temperamental CHALLENGING SCENARIOS FOR THE HONEST CHARACTER: PLOTLINE: Being honest in the face of drastic personal consequences PLOTLINE: Choosing honesty even if it means a guilty person or criminal walks free PLOTLINE: Suffering a past hurt yet being honest about one’s feelings and risking hurt once more PLOTLINE: Being entrusted with a secret that impacts others PLOTLINE: Needing to break the law because it is the right thing to do