Do YOU get envious easily? You're not alone! One in three people have a 'jealous' personality type

  • 90 per cent of the population can be divided into four personality types
  • These categories are optimistic, pessimistic, trusting and envious
  • Of these, 'envious' was the most widespread, describing 30% of people
  • Rest of the categories described 20% each, with 10% not fitting into any

Whether it is a job, clothes or a holiday, if you have ever felt annoyed that someone else has the things you want, you're probably not alone.

In fact, most of the population will feel like this a lot of the time, according to a new study.

This is because envy is the most common of four basic personality traits that shape human behaviour, scientists have revealed. 

A new study found 90 per cent of the population can be divided into four personality types: optimistic, pessimistic, trusting and envious. Of these, 'envious' was the most widespread, describing 30 per cent of individuals

A new study found 90 per cent of the population can be divided into four personality types: optimistic, pessimistic, trusting and envious. Of these, 'envious' was the most widespread, describing 30 per cent of individuals

FOUR PERSONALITY TYPES

The largest proportion of people turned out to be 'envious'. 

Characteristically, they did not mind what they achieved as long as they were better than everyone else.

'Optimists' believed both they and their partners would always make the best choices, while 'pessimists' selected options they saw as the lesser of two evils.

The 'trusting' group were born collaborators who co-operated easily and were not too concerned about whether they won or lost.

A fifth, undefined group representing 10 per cent of participants could not clearly be pigeon-holed into one dominant type of behaviour.

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A new study found 90 per cent of the population can be divided into four personality types: optimistic, pessimistic, trusting and envious.

Of these, 'envious' was the most widespread, describing 30  per cent of individuals compared with 20 per cent for each of the other groups.

Researchers at the University of Zaragoza and the Carlos III University of Madrid made the discovery after analysing the responses of 541 volunteers to hundreds of social dilemma scenarios.

Participants were put into pairs and given options that either led to collaboration or conflict with others.

In one game called the Stag Hunt, players would be rewarded with raffle tickets with a chance to win a €40 (£33) prize.

In the game, two people are offered the choice to hunt for a stag or a rabbit.

Stags are worth more, but they must both choose to hunt a stag to succeed.

If they choose to hunt rabbits, they can do so on their own and they are guaranteed a ticket for the draw.

In other words, envious types would hunt for the rabbit - as they cannot bear another person doing better than them, even if it means they receive less. 

The largest proportion of people turned out to be 'envious'. Characteristically, they did not mind what they achieved as long as they were better than everyone else, the researchers found (stock image used)

The largest proportion of people turned out to be 'envious'. Characteristically, they did not mind what they achieved as long as they were better than everyone else, the researchers found (stock image used)

HOW THE STUDY WORKED

Researchers analysed the responses of 541 volunteers to hundreds of social dilemma scenarios.  

Participants were put into pairs and given options that either led to collaboration or conflict with others.

In one game called the Stag Hunt, players would be rewarded with raffle tickets with a chance to win a €40 (£33) prize.

In the game, two people are offered the choice to hunt for a stag or a rabbit.

Stags are worth more, but they must both choose to hunt a stag to succeed.

If they choose to hunt rabbits, they can do so on their own and they are guaranteed a ticket for the draw.

In other words, envious types would hunt for the rabbit - as they cannot bear another person doing better than them, even if it means they receive less. 

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Based on the results, a computer programme was developed that set out to classify people according to their behaviour.

The largest proportion of people turned out to be 'envious'.

Characteristically, they did not mind what they achieved as long as they were better than everyone else.

Describing the envious personality type, the researchers said that they ‘seem to behave as driven by envy, status-seeking consideration, or lack of trust...these players prevent their counterparts from receiving more payoff than themselves even when, by doing so, they diminish their own potential payoff.’ 

'Optimists' believed both they and their partners would always make the best choices, while 'pessimists' selected options they saw as the lesser of two evils.

The 'trusting' group were born collaborators who co-operated easily and were not too concerned about whether they won or lost.

'Optimists' made up 20 per cent of those involved. They believed both they and their partners would always make the best choices, while 'pessimists' selected options they saw as the lesser of two evils (stock image used)

'Optimists' made up 20 per cent of those involved. They believed both they and their partners would always make the best choices, while 'pessimists' selected options they saw as the lesser of two evils (stock image used)

A fifth, undefined group representing 10 per cent of participants could not clearly be pigeon-holed into one dominant type of behaviour.

'The results go against certain theories; the one which states that humans act purely rationally for example,' said study author Professor Yamir Moreno, from the University of Zaragoza.

'These types of studies are important because they improve existing theories on human behaviour by giving them an experimental base.

'The really funny thing is that the classification was made by a computer algorithm which could have obtained a larger number of groups, but which has, in fact, produced an excellent rating in four personality types.'