Are You A Good Person?

Carolyn Y. Johnson interviewed psychologist David DeSteno, one of the authors of Out of Character: Surprising Truths about the Liar, Cheat, Sinner (and Saint) Lurking in All of Us, on the question:

I think, ultimately, we’re all going to be judged by our behaviors….[But] the question itself presumes an inherent trait, and we are arguing there isn’t one. The question of, “Am I a good person?” is an evolving question or an iterative question….To some extent that’s going to be dependent on what I am doing and the weight of those acts I have committed, which is changing. The question is, “Am I a good person now?” not “Am I a good person?”