Does It Pay To Be Nice?

A recent study conducted at Kansas State University by George Nabeshima linked five common personality traits with net worth levels. The personality traits in the study are well known within the psychology field as the Big Five Framework: extroversion, conscientiousness, openness, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

The personality traits found to be positively associated with an increase in net worth levels were extroversion (outgoing, friendly, active, and talkative) and conscientiousness (organized, responsible, hardworking, and self-disciplined). On the flip side, the agreeableness personality trait (helpful, caring, softhearted, and sympathetic) was found to have a negative correlation with increased net worth levels.

The study merely identified correlation, not necessarily causation. Aside from the psychological traits that high net worth individuals tend to possess, other variables such as age, education, and marital status play a key role in increasing net worth.

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