Macho States of America: Where honor turns homicidal

angry man, pointing, facial expression, stock, 4x3, anger, angry — istockphoto

"Real men don't let anyone push them around."

That's the mindset of men bound by what psychologists call the "culture of honor." There's an undeniable appeal to the idea that one should stand up to bullies. But new research by University of Oklahoma psychologists shows that homicide, suicide, and accidental death are more common in "honor" states than in "dignity" states where cultural norms emphasize the dignity intrinsic to each individual.

Do you live in an honor state or a dignity state? Keep clicking to see the psychologists' 50-state ranking...

50. North Dakota

Are North Dakotan men the nation's wimpiest - or the most reasonable? North Dakota kicks off the psychologists' ranking, meaning it's less bound by the deadly "culture of honor" than any other state in the union.

49. Minnesota

driving, minnesota, roads, city, urban — Flickr/kevinmjack

Percentage of motorists who acknowledged driving while drugged: 4.9

48. Wisconsin

Gallons per person: 36.5

47. Rhode Island

driving, rhode island, neighborhood, road — Flickr/dougtone

46. Hawaii

45. New Jersey

New Jersey Road Sign with dramatic clouds and sky.

44. Connecticut

Percentage of pot-smoking teens: 21.8

43. South Dakota

Gallons per person: 38.9

42. New York

statue of liberty, new york city — Wikimedia Commons

New York was the largest city on the list to have a comprehensive indoor smoking ban, with a population of nearly 8.2 million residents.

41. Michigan

Michigan's biggest red flags were high rates of obesity and crime, and low public health funding. But the state scored well on immunization coverage, use of prenatal care, and low on-the-job fatalities. Score: -0.032

40. Illinois

Both local and state laws prohibit smoking in The Windy City.

39. Massachusetts

If those are the least-fit cities in the nation, which are the fittest? Minneapolis came out on top, followed by Washington DC, Boston, Portland, Ore., and Denver.

38. Iowa

Iowa, state, 4x3, generic

37. Nebraska

Lincoln is home to the storied University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. But folks in town don't seem to do much husking - or any other form of exercise, for that matter.

36. Indiana

A city known for its annual four-day BBQ Rib Fest recently started a Fort4Fitness festival that aims to teach residents to improve their health habits. Will that get Fort Wayne off the lazy list?

35. Pennsylvania

Philadelphia.

34. New Hampshire

hanover, new hampshire — Wikimedia Commons

33. Kansas

Wichita has been active in the fast food industry - it's the home of the nation's first White Castle and Pizza Hut restaurants. But the ranking suggests people who live there could get a bit more active physically.

32. Ohio

Cleveland

31. Vermont

vermont, generic, state, 4x3 — iStockphoto

Gallons per person: 35.2

30. Alaska

In Wade Hampton County, there were 2,358 cases of sexually transmitted illness per 100,000 population.

29. Missouri

What up Missouri? A lot of you - 26.9 percent -don't always buckle up.

28. Maine

27. California

los angeles, downtown, california, hollywood — Qwerty510

Volunteer rate: 21.5 percent

26. Utah

utah

25. Maryland

Johns Hopkins University's records of six counties in suburban Baltimore show 1.3 percent of 8-year-olds have an ASD.

24. New Mexico

albuquerque, new mexico, state, downtown — Flickr/Ken Lund

Percentage of motorists who acknowledged driving while drugged: 4.8

22. Louisiana

lousiana, roads, state, new orleans — Fotopedia

Pedestrian fatality rate per 100,000 population: 2.38

23. Delaware

Delaware, state, 4x3, generic — istockphoto

In Delaware, 18.4 percent of adults are cigarette smokers.

21. Colorado

colorado, state, 4x3, generic — istockphoto

Obesity rate: 14.6

20. Idaho

Its potato production might be thriving, but Idaho's economy scores low otherwise - pushing it near the top of the high-stress list.Percentage of citizens reporting stress: 43.0

19. Washington

In a state famous for rainy weather, the dark clouds seem figurative as well as literal. Washingtonians report good emotional health but poor work satisfaction. Percentage of citizens reporting stress: 40.9

18. Oregon

oregon, state, 4x3, mountain, generic, mount hood — istockphoto

In Oregon, medical marijuana is approved to treat the following conditions: cancer, HIV/AIDS, glaucoma, agitation related to Alzheimer's disease, cachexia, severe pain, severe nausea, seizures, or persistent muscle spasms, including those that are characteristic of multiple sclerosis. A doctor's note is required.Patients and caregivers are allowed to possess 24 ounces of processed marijuana and cultivate six mature plants and 18 immature plants.

17. Arizona

People who flock to Arizona for health reasons may be surprised to find Phoenix on the list of cities with bad air. But it is. Its score of 18.8 put it in a three-way tie for second place.

16. Florida

15. Kentucky

Is Lexington the nation's laziest city? Though it has more 100 parks, its citizens seem less motivated to move than those of any other city.

14. Nevada

13. Montana

Percentage of pot-smoking teens: 23.1

12. Wyoming

Gallons per person: 34.1

11. Oklahoma

On its official website, Tulsa is touted as "a great place to live, work, and play." But what do they play in Tulsa? Video games?

10. Texas

The third city from the Lone Star State to rank in the bottom 20 for fitness, Houston makes it hard for folks to find good places to exercise, with few parks, playgrounds, pools, and other exercise facilities.Score: 38.315

9. Tennessee

nashville, tennessee — Wikimedia Commons

The word "exercise" apparently isn't music to the ears of people living in Music City.

8. Virginia

7. West Virginia

charleston, west virginia — Wikimedia Commons

6. Mississippi

5. Arkansas

little rock, arkansas — Wikimedia Commons

Arkansas' biggest city seems to have a little appetite for physical activity.

4. Georgia

The CDC's records of five counties in Georgia, including metropolitan Atlanta, show an autism rate of 2.4 percent - the highest of the states that were surveyed.

3. Alabama

2. North Carolina

north carolina, state, 4x3, generic, sign — istockphoto

Grade: D Numerical Score: 1.69

1. South Carolina

south carolina, istockphoto, 4x3 — istockphoto

Named in honor of King Charles I, South Carolina is the most "honorable" state - but honor comes at a high cost. Psychologists say that the "culture of honor" in South Carolina and in other states accounts for about 7,000 deaths a year.