Envy is top personality trait: Study

Jealousy or Envy, is the most common personality trait found in about one- third of the human population of the world.

A study conducted on human behavior found that about 90% of the population can be divided into four basic personality traits, namely optimistic, trusting, pessimistic and envious. The study was conducted on 541 volunteers who were faced with hundreds of social impasses.

All participants were put in pairs and were given options that would have either directed to cooperation or conflicts. The study found that the major part of the population were envious. These 30% of people did not really mind what they accomplish in life, as long as they were above everyone else.

20% were concluded in the pessimist category. They choose option which they thought were lesser of two evils. On the other hand optimists who were about 20%, thought that they will make the best choice for themselves and their partners. 20% of the volunteers were concluded as trusting. These people were born collaborators who always worked together with thinking about winning or losing.

There is a fifth unclear group that represents 10% of the population, which the procedure was unable to categorize into a clear type of behavior.

The researchers concluded that there is a wide range of subgroups made up of individuals who do not respond in a strong-minded way to any of these models.

This study is significant as they expand on the existing theories on human behavior by providing an experimental base to it.

If you are the envious type, then you know that you are not alone. Many people feel the urge to be better than others, which does not always make them a bad person.