Index: src/app/qgisapp.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/app/qgisapp.cpp	(revision 695)
+++ src/app/qgisapp.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -879,9 +879,9 @@
   mActionZoomOut->setStatusTip( tr( "Zoom Out" ) );
   connect( mActionZoomOut, SIGNAL( triggered() ), this, SLOT( zoomOut() ) );
 
-  mActionSelect = new QAction( getThemeIcon( "mActionSelect.png" ), tr( "Select Features" ) , this );
+  mActionSelect = new QAction( getThemeIcon( "mActionSelect.png" ), tr( "Select single features" ) , this );
   shortcuts->registerAction( mActionSelect );
-  mActionSelect->setStatusTip( tr( "Select Features" ) );
+  mActionSelect->setStatusTip( tr( "Select single feature" ) );
   connect( mActionSelect, SIGNAL( triggered() ), this, SLOT( select() ) );
   mActionSelect->setEnabled( false );
 
Index: src/app/qgsmaptoolselectutils.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/app/qgsmaptoolselectutils.cpp	(revision 689)
+++ src/app/qgsmaptoolselectutils.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include "qgsfeature.h"
 #include "qgsgeometry.h"
 #include "qgsrubberband.h"
+#include "qgsexception.h"
 #include "qgscsexception.h"
 #include "qgslogger.h"
 #include "qgis.h"
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@
 #include <QMouseEvent>
 #include <QApplication>
 #include <QMessageBox>
+#include <QSettings>
 
 QgsVectorLayer* QgsMapToolSelectUtils::getCurrentVectorLayer( QgsMapCanvas* canvas )
 {
@@ -196,7 +198,25 @@
 
 void QgsMapToolSelectUtils::setSelectFeatures( QgsMapCanvas* canvas, QgsGeometry* selectGeometry, QMouseEvent * e )
 {
-  bool doContains = e->modifiers() & Qt::AltModifier ? false : true;
+  QSettings settings;
+  QString defaultSelectionMethod = settings.value( "/qgis/defaultSelectionMethod", "Intersects" ).toString();
+  bool doContains;
+  if ( defaultSelectionMethod == "Contains" )
+  {
+    doContains = true;
+  }
+  else if ( defaultSelectionMethod == "Intersects" )
+  {
+    doContains = false;
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    throw QgsException( "Invalid defaultSelectionMethod setting: " + defaultSelectionMethod );
+  }
+  if ( e->modifiers() & Qt::AltModifier )
+  {
+    doContains = !doContains;
+  }
   bool addSelection = e->modifiers() & Qt::ControlModifier ? true : false;
   bool substractSelection = e->modifiers() & Qt::ShiftModifier ? true : false;
   setSelectFeatures( canvas, selectGeometry, doContains, addSelection, substractSelection );
Index: src/app/qgsoptions.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/app/qgsoptions.cpp	(revision 691)
+++ src/app/qgsoptions.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -264,6 +264,17 @@
   cmbWheelAction->setCurrentIndex( settings.value( "/qgis/wheel_action", 0 ).toInt() );
   spinZoomFactor->setValue( settings.value( "/qgis/zoom_factor", 2 ).toDouble() );
 
+  // populate the select method radio boxes
+  QString defaultSelectionMethod = settings.value( "/qgis/defaultSelectionMethod", "Intersects" ).toString();
+  if ( defaultSelectionMethod == "Intersects" )
+  {
+    mSelectIntersectsRadioButton->setChecked( true );
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    mSelectContainsRadioButton->setChecked( true );
+  }
+
   //
   // Locale settings
   //
@@ -603,6 +614,17 @@
   settings.setValue( "/qgis/wheel_action", cmbWheelAction->currentIndex() );
   settings.setValue( "/qgis/zoom_factor", spinZoomFactor->value() );
 
+
+  //set selection tool options
+  if ( mSelectIntersectsRadioButton->isChecked() )
+  {
+    settings.setValue( "qgis/defaultSelectionMethod", "Intersects" );
+  }
+  else if ( mSelectContainsRadioButton->isChecked() )
+  {
+    settings.setValue( "qgis/defaultSelectionMethod", "Contains" );
+  }
+
   //digitizing
   settings.setValue( "/qgis/digitizing/line_width", mLineWidthSpinBox->value() );
   QColor digitizingColor = mLineColorToolButton->color();
Index: src/ui/qgsoptionsbase.ui
===================================================================
--- src/ui/qgsoptionsbase.ui	(revision 691)
+++ src/ui/qgsoptionsbase.ui	(working copy)
@@ -891,6 +891,59 @@
         </widget>
        </item>
        <item>
+        <widget class="QGroupBox" name="mSelectToolsGroupBox">
+         <property name="title">
+          <string>Map select tools</string>
+         </property>
+         <layout class="QGridLayout" name="mSelectToolsGridLayout">
+          <item row="0" column="0">
+           <widget class="QLabel" name="mSelectMethodLabel">
+            <property name="text">
+             <string>Default feature select method</string>
+            </property>
+           </widget>
+          </item>
+          <item row="0" column="1">
+           <spacer name="mDefaultSelectMethodSpacer">
+            <property name="orientation">
+             <enum>Qt::Horizontal</enum>
+            </property>
+            <property name="sizeHint" stdset="0">
+             <size>
+              <width>406</width>
+              <height>20</height>
+             </size>
+            </property>
+           </spacer>
+          </item>
+          <item row="1" column="0" colspan="3">
+           <widget class="QLabel" name="mSelectMethodNoteLabel">
+            <property name="text">
+             <string>&lt;b&gt;Note:&lt;/b&gt; When using the region select tools press the Alt key to use the other select method</string>
+            </property>
+            <property name="wordWrap">
+             <bool>true</bool>
+            </property>
+           </widget>
+          </item>
+          <item row="0" column="2">
+           <widget class="QRadioButton" name="mSelectIntersectsRadioButton">
+            <property name="text">
+             <string>Intersects</string>
+            </property>
+           </widget>
+          </item>
+          <item row="0" column="3">
+           <widget class="QRadioButton" name="mSelectContainsRadioButton">
+            <property name="text">
+             <string>Contains</string>
+            </property>
+           </widget>
+          </item>
+         </layout>
+        </widget>
+       </item>
+       <item>
         <spacer>
          <property name="orientation">
           <enum>Qt::Vertical</enum>