Does climate affect temperament?

Ambient temperature can shape the fundamental dimensions of personality. Our research reveals a connection between the ambient temperature that individuals were exposed to when they were young and their personality today. This finding can help explain the personality differences we observe in people of different regions. Individuals who grew up in areas where ambient temperatures were closer to this optimal level scored higher on the Big Five personality dimensions, like extraversion and openness to experience, while those in colder or hotter climates scored lower. Clement temperatures encourage individuals to explore the outside environment, where social interactions and new experiences abound. Venturing outdoors and interacting with lots of people make people more agreeable, conscientious, emotionally stable, extraverted, and open to new experiences. But when the temperature is too hot or too cold, individuals are less likely to go outside to meet up with friends or to try new activities. The association between ambient temperature and personality is particularly important in light of climate change across the globe, which could result in changes in regional human personalities over time.

Heat also makes people mean. And violent. At least, that is what a 45-year longitudinal study found. Between 1950–1995, crime increased during warm years and seasons. Extreme heat and humidity do more than boil your organs.

People's personalities may be shaped by the temperatures of the places in which they grew up, a new study suggests. The idea that someone's personality may be affected by where that person lives is not new: Previous research has suggested that many aspects of human personality vary from one geographical region to another, according to the new study. One potential explanation is temperature, according to senior author Lei Wang, a social and cultural psychologist at Peking University in Beijing, and his colleagues. Because temperatures vary markedly across the world, the study authors reasoned that this factor might shape personality by influencing people's habits. The scientists discovered that the people who grew up in climates with milder temperatures were generally more agreeable, conscientious, emotionally stable, extroverted and open to new experiences. It's possible that mild temperatures can influence personality by encouraging social interactions and supporting a wider range of activities, the researchers said. However, the study found that despite living in climates that are similarly harsh, people in certain Chinese regions differ, personality-wise, from people living in northern states in the U.S., suggesting that other factors aside from temperature play a role. The authors of the study said that more research is still needed to understand the potential effects of temperature on personality. As climate change continues across the world, we may also observe changes in human personality.