A good working memory could be the key to a happy and successful life, according to a new study.
Dr Tracy Alloway, from the University of Stirling in Scotland, and colleagues found that people with a good working memory are more likely to be optimistic and self-assured.
Those whose working memory was poor were more likely to 'brood' and scored higher in tests of pessimism.
Working memory is the ability to remember and process information at the same time.
It is employed when a person is asked to count back two digits from a number and provide the answer without hesitation.
Research suggests that individuals with good working memories tend to have better jobs and relationships.
The researchers, however, wanted to see if it also had a bearing on happiness.
She conducted a study of 1,200 people aged from their late teens to their sixties who were given a series of psychological tests and questionnaires.
"We found that people who have a high working memory tend to be more optimistic, more hopeful about life, more confident that they can cope with problems and adjust to situations," the Daily Mail quoted Dr Alloway as saying.
"People with a poor working memory tended to be more brooding and to spend more time fixated on problems when they arose in their life," Dr Alloway added.
Dr Alloway was speaking at the British Science Festival at Aston University, Birmingham.
