Study: Clever people are more trustworthy!

Professor Francesco Billari added: 'People who trust others seem to report better health and greater happiness.

'The study of social trust therefore has wider implications in public health, governmental policy and private charity, and there are good reasons to think that governments, religious groups and other civic organisations should try to cultivate more trust in society.'

The academics analysed data from the General Social Survey, which is conducted every one or two years.