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Map of United States with colors to denote which Happy Face: Temperamental & Uninhibited, Friendly & Conventional, Relaxed & Creative.
Illustration by Allen Quigley.

States of Mind

By Jessica Sinn April 6, 2014 facebook twitter email

People with similar personality types are likely to cluster in certain geographical regions of the United States, making it possible to divide a map into three distinct personality regions, according to a new study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

The study, co-authored by University of Texas at Austin psychologist Samuel Gosling and University of Cambridge psychologist Peter J. Rentfrow, shows that people in the north-central Great Plains and the South tend to be conventional and friendly. Those in the Western and Eastern seaboards lean toward being mostly relaxed and creative. And New Englanders and Mid-Atlantic residents are prone to being more temperamental and uninhibited.

Using a variety of online surveys, the researchers analyzed the personality traits of 1.5 million people.

To find out which state matches your personality, take the test.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, online surveys, personality traits, Peter J. Rentfrow, Samuel Gosling, University of Cambridge, University of Texas at Austin

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