tennessee “friendlier” than most other states

Tennessee is home to some of the friendliest people in the United States, new research from the University of Cambridge (UK) suggests.
The findings appear in a new study which reveals how the personalities of people living in the USA often differ according to the state in which they live. Tennesseans overall exhibited a high level of “agreeableness”, a personality trait usually associated with people who are warm, compassionate, co-operative and friendly.
Researchers used the results from more than half a million online surveys to create a “personality map” of the United States, showing that different types of people are more likely to live and flourish in different parts of the country.
For example, according to the findings, North Dakotans are often more sociable and affable than most Americans, while people living in New York State tend to be more highly-strung and creative.
The research team found “striking” wider geographical trends, such as a national “stress belt” dividing the more anxious and impulsive eastern USA from the comparatively relaxed west. They also identified strong links between personality traits and certain social phenomena, such as crime and life expectancy rates.
The study is the first analysis of its kind and was led by Dr Jason Rentfrow, a lecturer in social and political sciences at the University of Cambridge (UK). Dr Rentfrow is originally from Louisiana, a state where his own research would suggest the people are often friendly, but stress levels are high.
“Although these are preliminary findings and require more evaluation, they did throw up some striking geographical trends,” Dr Rentfrow said.
“Obviously it’s not as simple as saying that a person is guaranteed to be more anxious if they come from West Virginia or more religious because they happen to live in New Mexico; but we did find pretty clear signs that there are meaningful differences in the personalities of people living in different areas of the United States.
“What is particularly impressive is that the results show the effects of personality on people’s social habits, values and lifestyles are so pronounced that they have an impact on much bigger social forces.”
The authors of the new study argue that the strongest personality traits within a given population become self-reinforcing by influencing the region’s life and culture.
For example, where the population is creative, imaginative and intellectual (as was found to be the case in states including New York and California), one might expect to find people who are interested in art, literature and science. This may in turn lead to the establishment of institutions such as universities and museums. These institutions then influence the views and values of the local populace, encourage more creative and imaginative people to move to the region, and give people who do not fit that profile less reason to live there.
“The results provide a rich understanding of the psychological characteristics of each state,” Dr Rentfrow added. “Hopefully our model will stimulate further research and broaden our understanding of human behaviour.”