Survey indicates humans are optimistic

LAWRENCE, Kan., May 25 (UPI) -- Humans are, by nature, optimistic, a far-flung survey suggests.

The survey of 150,000 adults in more than 140 countries, conducted by the University of Kansas and Gallup, indicates optimism to be universal and without borders.

Lead researcher Matthew Gallagher, a psychology doctoral candidate at the University of Kansas, says 89 percent of individuals worldwide -- the sample is representative of 95 percent of the world's population -- expect the next five years to be as good or better than their current life.

Ninety-five percent of individuals expected their life in five years to be as good or better than their life was five years ago.

"These results provide compelling evidence that optimism is a universal phenomenon," Gallagher said in a statement.

At the country level, optimism is highest in Ireland, Brazil, Denmark, and New Zealand, and lowest in Zimbabwe, Egypt, Haiti and Bulgaria. The United States ranks 10th.

Demographic factors such as age and household income appear to have only modest impact on individual levels of optimism, Gallagher says.

The study was presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science in San Francisco.