In a first of its kind study, scientists now say there’s a personality type for millionaires — and it might not be what you think.
Far from The Simpsons‘ miserable, miserly Mr. Burns, the scientists at the German Institute for Economic Research and the University of Münster say millionaires tend to be “more extroverted, open, risk-tolerant, conscientious, and emotionally stable” than the rest of us.
These admirable qualities are especially evident in self-made millionaires, the experts say, rather than those who merely inherited their dough.
Using polls from thousands of wealthy Germans, the researchers also noted that even non-millionaires who have done well for themselves, such as successful small business owners, tended to exhibit these same positive attributes.
“Taken together, the results suggest that personality is a relevant factor in wealth accumulation,” explained lead study author Johannes König.
Mitja Back, Professor of Psychological Diagnostics and Personality Psychology at the University of Münster, added, “Since the rich wield particular influence over societal decision-making processes, and since personality has a determining influence on the way people think and behave, the investigation of millionaires’ personality traits is of great social relevance.”