The majority (90%) of the population can be categorized into four basic personality types: optimists, pessimists, confident and envious, depending on the results of a study published in the medical journal. But among these character traits, the envious represent the most frequent group with 30% of the population, against 20% for each of the other groups. 10% does not belong to any group.
A study on human behavior was carried out by researchers from the University Carlos III in Madrid and the universities of Barcelona, (Rovira i Virgili and Saragoss) in Spain. Scientists analyzed the responses of 541 volunteers to hundreds of social dilemmas, with options leading to collaboration or conflict with one another, depending on individual or collective interests.
Envious people are the most numerous among the population
After performing this test, the researchers developed a computer algorithm that aimed to classify people based on their behavior. The computer organized 90% of the people into four groups: the largest group, representing 30% of the population were the envious, those who lack team spirit and who are not proud of what they accomplish. Their only goal, to be better than the others. Optimists, 20% of mankind for whom their partner will make the best choice for both of them. Next are the pessimists (20%), who choose the option they consider the lesser of two evils. Then, the confident who represent 20% of individuals who are always ready to cooperate and don’t mind winning or losing.
There remains an undefined group which represents 10% of the population. The algorithm was unable to classify them in relation to a clear type of behavior. “There is a certain category of the population that does not react in the same way to a given problem,” concludes Yamir Moreno, coordinator of the study.
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