Is A Glass Filled Halfway Half-Empty Or Half-Full? — Can Science Explain Which One Is Right? [Video]

When one see a glass filled halfway with water (or any liquid for that matter), is it half-empty or half-full? Most of the time, people will say it depends if a person is optimistic or pessimistic. That has usually been the answer to the glass filled halfway question, but is it possible science can explain if it is truly half-empty or half-full?

In a related report by the Inquisitr, the internet went crazy over numerous either/or situations though it may not necessarily be a case of optimism to pessimism. The first case is #TheDress in which people argued if the colors of a dress were black and blue or white and gold. This was followed up with #TheShoe in which the internet debated what shade of purple a shoe was. Finally rounding out the either/or situations, #CatStairs caused the internet to debate if a cat was going up or down a flight of stairs.

Though the three either/or situations were quite popular debate topics among people on the World Wide Web, their solutions were not based on personal taste but perception. There is no real scientific solution if a person is optimistic or pessimistic, right? Apparently there is a scientific explanation on why a person would see a glass as half-full or half-empty and it was brought to the forefront by Asap SCIENCE through the video attached below.

As described in the video, the perspective of optimism to pessimism may be in association to the length of two alleles on genes that control serotonin. If the two alleles are long, the person tends to be more positive. However if the two alleles are short, the person tends to be negative instead. Another factor are variations on the oxytocin receptor genes may also have an effect on a person’s outlook too. Those who have two copies of guanine are noted to be more positive with higher self-esteem. On the other hand, those with two copies of adenine were less positive. As a result, people may actually be genetically optimistic or pessimistic.

Now to be fair, being either an optimist or pessimist does have pros and cons. For the optimist, they are less likely to be re-hospitalized after coronary artery bypass surgery, show higher academic achievements, and achieve a better socioeconomic status. Unfortunately, they also overestimate their abilities and underestimate risks. Pessimists have a more realistic and cautious for the future and may even live up to 20-years longer.

Apparently, many people have found the video by Asap SCIENCE to be worth the watch. Since its upload on Wednesday, September 30, 2015, the video received over 700,000 views. More than 21,000 of those viewers liked the video while only a little over 300 people showed disdain. Nevertheless, the limited number of people who opposed the video could not stop it from becoming a viral hit online as it is now listed in the top 100 list of #PopularOnYouTube.

To be fair though, Asap SCIENCE rarely, if ever, fails in delivering content that becomes popular to watch. The channel has tackled many different questions presenting their findings in an entertaining marker and whiteboard animation. Their latest questions answered before this one includes comparing Harvard to community college and answering the age-old question if masturbation is actually good for whoever does it.

[Image via YouTube Video Screen Capture]