Chastity
The Pure-Hearted Stander
The story behind this word
Chastity (castitas) completed the traditional set, and Augustine gave it its most durable form: not the absence of desire, but the ordering of desire — each want kept in its place. The monastery word for it was integrity, in the literal sense: whole, undivided. Relationship research has retired the vocabulary but studies the same thing: closeness holds better when commitment and boundaries are clear. That kind of intention is what this dimension measures.
Keeping intimacy intentional — desire, values, and boundaries pointing the same way.
Chastity, in psychological terms, is intentional intimacy: closeness by choice, not momentum.
When Chastity is high
Closeness happens on your terms — attraction gets a voice, and your values keep the final say.
When Chastity is low
You explore attraction freely. Naming what commitment means to you can bring clarity to relationships.
Everyday signals
Even a strength has a shadow when it overflows. Watch for:
- Treating desire itself as shameful
- Avoiding closeness even when you want it
- Judging other people's choices to feel safe in your own
The healthy middle
Your values set the pace — desire doesn't get to drive, and shame doesn't get to steer.
One question to ask yourself
Are my boundaries chosen — or inherited without question?
One small practice
Write one sentence about what intimacy means to you; let it, not habit, guide your next choice.
The psychology behind it
Commitment research links intentional restraint to relationship stability (e.g., Rusbult's investment model, 1983).
The other side of the axis
- LustThe Heart Chaser
All 14 dimensions
Curious where you land? Take the free 42-question test.
This test is for educational and self-reflection purposes only. It is not a diagnostic tool and makes no moral judgment. If you are experiencing mental health concerns, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Veselka, L., Giammarco, E. A., & Vernon, P. A. (2014). The Dark Triad and the seven deadly sins. Personality and Individual Differences, 67, 75-80.
