While it is good to have an optimistic outlook on life, those whose attitudes towards the future are too positive may become overconfident, according to the results of a recent study from Israel's Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

Researchers at the institution set out to see how students’ attitudes affected their academic performance. To arrive at their results, they worked with 174 business undergraduates with an average age of 24. Of the study participants, 72 percent were women and 28 percent were men.

After having these students fill out questionnaires, the researchers found that males who were too optimistic ended up with low grades. This was due to overconfidence and less studying on their parts. Men who were optimistic, but also conscientious, performed much better.

At the same time, female students who were optimistic received higher grades than their peers who did not share the same outlook.

"For female students, optimism alone was beneficial because they’re naturally more conscientious than their male counterparts," Tamar Icekson, a PhD student at the university who also worked on the study, said. "Women have lower self-esteem, and so if they are not sure things will work out, they study for the test."

Individuals who are curious to see how their outlook on life affects the decisions they make may want to take a personality test.

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