Are Alaskans neurotic? Open? Agreeable? Conscientious? Extroverted?
Using a 44-question test to evaluate these five personality traits in 600,000 Americans, researchers have profiled all 50 states, with results reported in the Wall Street Journal’s “The United States of Mind,” .
Some states fit existing stereotypes; some didn’t. As one might expect, our state’s profile was, ahem, extreme. We scored as not at all agreeable, correlating with our already documented high rates of crime. The survey also showed us to be not at all open, translating as very conservative and, unfortunately for us writer-types, not very creative.
In keeping with our stereotype as a place that attracts rugged isolationists, Alaskans bumped bottom on extroversion. We also scored low on conscientiousness, a result that surprised me. The bright spot: Alaskans aren’t overly neurotic, which should mean we’re healthy, at least.
How does that stack up with what you guessed? This jumble of traits makes for interesting fictional characters. Politicians? Well, that’s another story.