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Regional Personality Variation in Sweden: Trait Clusters, Links to Health and Well-Being, and Historical Context

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Title: Regional Personality Variation in Sweden: Trait Clusters, Links to Health and Well-Being, and Historical Context
Authors: Obschonka, Martin, Grillitsch, Markus, Guldåker, Nicklas, Rauhut, Daniel, Jason Rentfrow, Peter, Potter, Jeff, Gosling, Samuel D.
Contributors: Lund University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Departments of Administrative, Economic and Social Sciences, Department of Human Geography, Lunds universitet, Samhällsvetenskapliga fakulteten, Samhällsvetenskapliga institutioner och centrumbildningar, Institutionen för kulturgeografi och ekonomisk geografi, Originator, Lund University, Faculty of Engineering, LTH, Departments at LTH, Department of Design Sciences, CIRCLE, Lunds universitet, Lunds Tekniska Högskola, Institutioner vid LTH, Institutionen för designvetenskaper, CIRCLE, Originator, Lund University, Lund University School of Economics and Management, LUSEM, Department of Economic History, Lunds universitet, Ekonomihögskolan, Ekonomisk-historiska institutionen, Originator
Source: Scandinavian Journal of Psychology.
Subject Terms: Social Sciences, Social and Economic Geography, Human Geography, Samhällsvetenskap, Social och ekonomisk geografi, Kulturgeografi, Psychology, Psykologi, Economic Geography, Ekonomisk geografi, Economics and Business, Economic History, Ekonomi och näringsliv, Ekonomisk historia
Description: Personality traits (e.g., the Big Five) shape human behavior, decision-making, and life outcomes. Evidence from various countries suggests that these traits are not randomly distributed but follow systematic regional patterns, fueling interest in their geographical variation. We analyze N = 22,225 geo-coded personality assessments, aggregated at regional levels. Using Hot Spot analysis (Getis-Ord Gi), we identify spatial clusters of personality traits and test their associations with health and well-being indicators at the regional level. Even though Sweden has a reputation for equality, our analysis reveals notable spatial differences in personality composition. The data reveal overlapping geographical clustering in Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and Emotional Stability (i.e., low Neuroticism), traits that are established predictors of better psychological functioning. These traits co-occur at relatively higher levels in southern Sweden, particularly in the Scania region, whereas they co-occur at relatively lower levels in parts of central Sweden. These patterns are descriptively supported by municipal-level correlations with health and well-being variables, although the associations are not uniform across all measures. In view of these results, we reflect on how these clusters may connect to long-standing regional histories, including industrial legacies. Such interpretations remain speculative, and we outline a future research agenda to further investigate the causes and consequences of regional personality variation, as well as its possible societal implications.
Access URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/sjop.70038
Database: SwePub
Description
Abstract:Personality traits (e.g., the Big Five) shape human behavior, decision-making, and life outcomes. Evidence from various countries suggests that these traits are not randomly distributed but follow systematic regional patterns, fueling interest in their geographical variation. We analyze N = 22,225 geo-coded personality assessments, aggregated at regional levels. Using Hot Spot analysis (Getis-Ord Gi), we identify spatial clusters of personality traits and test their associations with health and well-being indicators at the regional level. Even though Sweden has a reputation for equality, our analysis reveals notable spatial differences in personality composition. The data reveal overlapping geographical clustering in Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and Emotional Stability (i.e., low Neuroticism), traits that are established predictors of better psychological functioning. These traits co-occur at relatively higher levels in southern Sweden, particularly in the Scania region, whereas they co-occur at relatively lower levels in parts of central Sweden. These patterns are descriptively supported by municipal-level correlations with health and well-being variables, although the associations are not uniform across all measures. In view of these results, we reflect on how these clusters may connect to long-standing regional histories, including industrial legacies. Such interpretations remain speculative, and we outline a future research agenda to further investigate the causes and consequences of regional personality variation, as well as its possible societal implications.
ISSN:14679450
DOI:10.1111/sjop.70038