WebMD.com reports that the researchers, who reported their findings in the medical journal Cognition and Emotion, did not expect that the impact of having a positive attitude would be so pronounced among older people.
“But because of the [mental] declines that come with aging, we weren't sure that a good mood would be able to help older adults,” Ellen Peters, one of the study’s authors, wrote in a press release, according to WebMD.com. “So these results are good news.”
In a series of tests, the researchers split participants into two groups, and one group was given small bags of candy, and looked at positive images, while the other group saw neutral images. The researchers found that the group who received the bag of candy responded much better in decision-making later on, leading the scientists to draw a connection between a positive attitude and better mental faculties.
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