State Of Mind
By Mitch Berg
A new survey tried to analyze America’s personality, state-by-state.
The University of Cambridge (UK) measured 600,000 people for extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness – and found some interesting results.
I gotta say I didn’t see this bit coming:
And what of the unexpected finding that North Dakota is the most outgoing state in the union? Yes, North Dakota, the same state memorialized years ago in the movie “Fargo” as a frozen wasteland of taciturn souls. Turns out you can be a laconic extrovert, at least in the world of psychology. The trait is defined in part by strong social networks and tight community bonds, which are characteristic of small towns across the Great Plains. (Though not, apparently, small towns in New England, which ranks quite low on the extraversion scale.)
Hm. I must have come from the dour, taciturn corner of North Dakota.
Worth a read.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Not at all surprising about New England, though. It was instructive to go from the upper Midwest to NE. They’re more neurotic, less willing to help neighbors, more closed about their own lives, and since they’re generally more miserable on a personality level they’re much more open to trying new ideas in the hope that something will change to make them happier.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
September 25th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Too bad nobody seems to realize that almost none of Fargo was set in North Dakota.