Be Positive: Study Suggests You'll Earn More, If You Are

New findings published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology reveal that cynics are less likely to do well when it comes to earning money. In other words, to significantly boost income, it's better to keep a positive mental attitude at all times.

"While previous research has associated cynicism with detrimental outcomes across a wide range of spheres of life, including physical health, psychological well-being and marital adjustment, the present research has established an association between cynicism and individual economic success," lead researcher Olga Stavrova, PhD, a research associate at the Institute of Sociology and Social Psychology, University of Cologne, Germany, in a news release

For the study, researchers linked cynicism to lower income. Survey data from 41 countries reviewed showed a negative correlation between cynicism and lower income. Furthermore, researchers found that it was highest in countries with higher levels of altruistic behavior, lower homicide rates and lower levels of general societal cynicism.

"There are actually some countries where cynical individuals do not necessarily earn less than their less cynical compatriots," said Stavrova. "These countries are those with pervasively high societal cynicism scores, rare pro-social behavior (e.g., charity donations) and widespread antisocial behavior (as indicated by high homicide rates) - in other words, countries where cynicism might be justified or even somewhat functional."

The study results suggest that cynical individuals may be less likely to trust others and skip out on collaborative opportunities that could disrupt future economic successes, according to The Daily Mail. 

"For example, employees who believe others to be exploitative and dishonest are likely to avoid collaborative projects and to forgo the related opportunities," added Stavrova.

"Occupational success and economic prosperity represent important life goals for many people and promote life satisfaction and psychological well-being," concluded Stavrova. "Our findings may help in achieving these goals by encouraging people to adopt a more benevolent and idealistic view of human nature and trustful attitude towards their peers."

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).