Mapping America's Many Moods

In a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, a multinational team of researchers led by psychologist Jason Rentfrow of the University of Cambridge analyzed the results of 1.6 million survey responses gathered over 13 years to "[map] the American mood, with state-by-state ratings of personality and temperament."

"When the returns were tallied, the country broke down into three macro regions: New England and the Mid-Atlantic states, which the researchers termed 'temperamental and uninhibited'; the South and Midwest, which were labeled 'friendly and conventional'; and the West Coast, Rocky Mountains and Sun Belt, described as 'relaxed and creative,'" report Jeffrey Kluger and Chris Wilson. "There is no shortage of historical and geographical explanations for why the regions break down the way they do, but migration is the biggest piece of the puzzle."

Included in the article is a 10-question survey designed to determine which state most closely matches your personality. Apparently this author belongs in New Mexico.