Chuck Bednar for redOrbit.com – @BednarChuck
If you approach life with a high degree of cynicism, you may be costing yourself money in the long run. According to a new University of Cologne study, a skeptical viewpoint when it comes to other people’s motives is linked with lower income levels later on in your own life.
The study, published Thursday in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, reviewed data from previous research conducted in the US and Europe. One set of studies measured the cynicism levels of a total of more than 1,500 participants and their income level at a later date. In both studies used, a higher level of mistrust of others was associated with reduced earnings.
“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 author Dr. Olga Stavrova explained.
Not trusting co-workers could be costly in the long run
Dr. Stavrova, a research associate at the German university’s Institute of Sociology and Social Psychology, and her colleagues also looked at a study that involved a nationally representative sample of approximately 16,000 people in Germany. They found that, after a nine-year period, less cynical employees earned an average of $300 more per month.
To see if the findings could be applied universally, they looked at one last study that included survey data from 41 countries to see if different sociological factors were involved. They found the negative correlation between cynicism and lower income to be strongest in nations with higher levels of altruistic behavior, lower homicide rates, and lower overall cynicism levels.
“There are actually some countries where cynical individuals do not necessarily earn less than their less cynical compatriots,” Dr. Stavrova explained. “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.”
One possible reason for this, she said, is that people who are cynical are less likely to trust their co-workers and thus are more willing to forgo cooperation opportunities that could lead to job advancement. These individuals may also be less likely to ask for assistance on projects, which would hamper their success and ultimately undermine their economic success.
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