South Dakota ‘more sociable’ than most states

By Journal staff | Friday, September 12, 2008

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South Dakota is home to some of the most sociable people in the United States, new research from the University of Cambridge suggests.

The findings appear in a new study which reveals how the personalities of people in the USA often differ according to the state in which they live.

South Dakotans exhibited a high level of “extroversion,” a personality trait traditionally associated with people who are outgoing, energetic and enthusiastic, according to the survey.

Researchers used the results from more than half a million online surveys to create a “personality map” of the United States, showing different types of people are more likely to live and flourish in different parts of the country.

For example, according to the findings, South 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.

Over six years, 619,397 people from across the U.S. took part in an online test in which they were asked to read 44 short statements, such as “I see myself as someone who is outgoing” and “I see myself as someone who is very religious.” The respondents had to mark their level of agreement with each statement on a scale of one to five.

The results of the survey allowed researchers to compute estimates of each of the personality dimensions for every state and identify which personality traits were strongest in which states.

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 Jason Rentfrow, a lecturer in social and political sciences at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Rentfrow is originally from Louisiana, a state where his own research would suggest the people are often friendly, but stress levels are high.