Here the scientists found that the most reliable predictor of success, in the eyes of the viewers, was not ability, but overconfidence.

They have also been shown to be no guaranteed predictor of success in life.

Our research shows that high aspirations are the best predictor of success.

For instance, conscientiousness has consistently emerged as a stable predictor of success in exam performance, largely because conscientious students experiences fewer study delays.

Third, psychologists have found that biological, intellectual and personality factors are important predictors of success.

The 'hypothetical question' was never likely to be a reliable predictor of people's behaviour.

Those who have a taste for academic papers will know that the two most reliable predictors of equity outperformance, regardless of sector or country, are momentum and value.

It was also found that frequency, a measure of pitch, and frequency variations were reliable predictors of dominance.

After shared incubation of eggs, males leave on two-week-long foraging trips, which has been found to be synchronized with spring plankton blooms, as they are reliable predictors of food sources.