If you think that you'll only grow crankier and more distrustful with age, think again. According to researchers at Northwestern University and the University of Buffalo, people actually become more trusting with age and are "more likely to look at the bright side of things." Researchers believe that as you mature, you form a tighter circle of friends whom you can trust. You're also more motivated to give back, hence, the tendency to see the good in other people.

"On the structural side, we know that as people age, they prune their social networks such that as we get older we interact less with people we find less emotionally rewarding," co-author Michael Poulin, associate professor of psychology at University of Buffalo, said in a statement.

Another smaller study also shows that this increase in trust can be correlated with a higher well-being in older adults.

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