Mar 01, 2015 11:24 PM EST By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

There may be a link between personality and an aspect of physical ecology: flat terrain versus mountainous terrain, according to a recent study.

After a series of three studies, researchers found that only one of the Big Five personality traits predicted terrain preference--extraversion.

Participants perceived wooded/secluded terrain to be calmer, quieter and more peaceful. In contrast, participants in the flat/open condition perceived the terrain to be more sociable, exciting and stimulating. The study found that when people want to socialize with others, they prefer the ocean far more (75 percent) than mountains (25 percent). In contrast, when they want to be alone, they choose mountains (52 percent) as much as the ocean (48 percent).

Results of the study also showed that introverts tend to live in mountainous regions, while extroverts live in open and flat regions. The researchers caution that there is no evidence mountains make people introverted, but rather, introverts tend to choose mountainous geography because of the secluded environment.

"Some cities and towns have geography that is more accommodating for some people than for others...if you know you're introverted, then you may be rejuvenated by being in a secluded place, while an extrovert may be rejuvenated more in an open space," Shige Oishi, lead researcher of the study, said in a statement.

Oishi cautions that there is more research that will be collected to determine the underlying mechanisms of the association, and to see if the results are replicated on a larger scale.

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