NEGATIVE TRAIT THESAURUS

JUDGMENTAL



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HELPFUL TIP:

Characters with this flaw will be extra sensitive to certain emotions, so think about how events in your story might specifically trigger these feelings to generate compelling tension and conflict. Another idea is to give a supporting character a positive attribute that is an opposite of this flaw, which will get under the skin of both characters and cause friction in their relationship.
DEFINITION:
Inclined to judge harshly and unfavorably

SIMILAR FLAWS:
Critical, faultfinding, severe

POSSIBLE CAUSES:
Growing up with a strict moral code
Firmly believing in black and white, wrong and right
A lack of empathy
Needing to be right
Guilt or shame (needing to divert the focus from oneself to others)
Mental disorders (narcissism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, etc.)
The need to control
Envy
Fear
Insecurity; judging someone who has the same weaknesses as oneself

ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS AND ATTITUDES:
Categorizing people into “types” or “boxes”
Making snap judgments about others
Arrogance
Assuming that one's beliefs are always right and anyone in opposition is wrong
Attempting to push one's belief onto others
Focusing on people's flaws rather than on their attributes
Believing that tough love will make people stronger
Being unwilling to put oneself in another's shoes
Vehemently arguing one's point of view
Avoiding or dismissing those with differing opinions
Having a holier-than-thou attitude
Intolerance for mistakes
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ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS:
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ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:
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POSITIVE ASPECTS:
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NEGATIVE ASPECTS:
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EXAMPLES FROM LITERATURE:
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OVERCOMING THIS TRAIT AS A MAJOR FLAW:
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TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:
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