Why Are Physicists Shy & Antisocial?

[Casco]

I think that that physicists are shy and antisocial, sometimes is much and sometimes is just a little. Some physicists have troubles when talking to girls in the case of men. It seems that there are not studies about this topic. Their behaviour and interaction with the world, socially speaking (I think) is very primitive compared with the academic or intelectual level that physicists have. I would like to hear your comment about this. Not necessarily all physicists are shy and antisocial. But I am quite sure that all of us have seen a colleague with this behaviour.

If anyone know about a serious investigation about this topic I would be very grateful to have the reference.

 

[Cbray]

I'm 15 and I can definitely see myself being a theoretical physicist professor in the future. I'm doing multi-variable calculus at the moment and love studying classical physics, and quantum mechanics (since it's just math, but I actually find it intuitive sometimes...).

But back on topic, I love to talk to girls, even the 'not so bright ones' too. They're very nice, kind, and love to hear about your life etc. I doubt I'll be very shy when I'm older. But for most physicists I guess it's because we spend most of our time indoors studying for huge amounts of hours, and when it comes to socialising we find our time could be used for better purposes, such as studying (which is also an addiction for us).

That was just a straight out guess, hope it helps :P

 

[Danger]

I believe that such is an undeserved stereotype. Some of the most intelligent people are also the most social. (Interpersonal relationships are, after all, a sign of social intelligence.) Look at the example right here on PF of Astronuc. There are many others, but he sort of epitomizes the interface between academia and general society. He has his degrees and celebrated career, but also is one of the most down-to-earth guys that I've ever encountered. Look around a bit, and you'll find lots more.

 

[Borek]

I think that that physicists are shy and antisocial

Feynman was so antisocial he ended playing on frigideira during the Carnival of Brazil.

 

[Cbray]

Feynman was so antisocial he ended playing on frigideira during the Carnival of Brazil.

This.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Yes, but let's not forget Newton who doesn't seem to have talked to a female who wasn't a relative his whole life.

Also, it seems that as far as any of his contemporaries know, he only laughed once in his life, and that was when some yokel remarked to him that he couldn't see what math was good for.

 

[Pythagorean]

I heard on the street he wasn't very shy with the rack!

 

[dodo]

Why physicists are shy?

Because they hang out too much with the mathematicians.

 

[genericusrnme]

Why is it that to you normals shy and antisocial are one and the same :(

 

[ZapperZ]

I think that that physicists are shy and antisocial, sometimes is much and sometimes is just a little. Some physicists have troubles when talking to girls in the case of men. It seems that there are not studies about this topic. Their behaviour and interaction with the world, socially speaking (I think) is very primitive compared with the academic or intelectual level that physicists have. I would like to hear your comment about this. Not necessarily all physicists are shy and antisocial. But I am quite sure that all of us have seen a colleague with this behaviour.

If anyone know about a serious investigation about this topic I would be very grateful to have the reference.

Why is it that physicists are fun and outgoing, sometimes is much and sometimes is just a little. Some physicists have troubles keeping their mouth shut talking to girls. It seems that there are not studies about this topic. Their behavior and interaction with the world, socially speaking (I think) are very advanced compared with the academic or intellectual level that physicists have.

Zz.

 

[Chi Meson]

Why is it that physicists are fun and outgoing, sometimes is much and sometimes is just a little. Some physicists have troubles keeping their mouth shut talking to girls. It seems that there are not studies about this topic. Their behavior and interaction with the world, socially speaking (I think) are very advanced compared with the academic or intellectual level that physicists have.

Zz.

That.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I'm shy when I tell people my age. About 20 years shy.

 

[Astronuc]

Feynmann was quite the gregarious professor as is evidence by his lectures at Cornell, e.g.,
(Feynman starts (with a joke about bongo drums) at 6:00)
- Feynman late in life.

Dirac on the other hand was rather reserved.

When I studied physics, some students were very social while others were not so. There was a spectrum of personality types.

I think the professional physicists at PF interact quite well among themselves and with the larger population.

 

[Casco]

I believe that such is an undeserved stereotype. Some of the most intelligent people are also the most social. (Interpersonal relationships are, after all, a sign of social intelligence.) Look at the example right here on PF of Astronuc. There are many others, but he sort of epitomizes the interface between academia and general society. He has his degrees and celebrated career, but also is one of the most down-to-earth guys that I've ever encountered. Look around a bit, and you'll find lots more.

Yes, I agree. But the my doubt is that in proportion with other professions, physicists have a great disproportion of this behaviour with respect the population. For example, lawyers must have shy and antisocial people, but comparing with population it is normal (I think) given that the population of lawyers is very big. But from my point of view, physicists have a disproportion. Maybe it can be that here the different kind of behaviour are quite remarkable because the population of physicists is quite small compared with other areas. For example, in a university with 15 physicists, the antisocial behaviour of two of them can be noticed easily, while in a enterprise with 100 lawyers the shyness of , let's say, 10 lawyers it is not so noticed by the others.

 

[Casco]

Feynmann was quite the gregarious professor as is evidence by his lectures at Cornell, e.g.,
(Feynman starts (with a joke about bongo drums) at 6:00)
- Feynman late in life.

Dirac on the other hand was rather reserved.

When I studied physics, some students were very social while others were not so. There was a spectrum of personality types.

I think the professional physicists at PF interact quite well among themselves and with the larger population.

Thank you for the videos, they are great. And of course as you say, there is a spectrum of personalities among physicists, for example, Newton was a very enigmatic character socially speaking, the same with Cavendish, and many other ones, on the other hand we have characters like Schrodinger which was with his wife and lover at the same time in the same place, also Feynman, and many other. What I think, is that some times the shyness and antisocial behavior of some physicists is a little out of the normal of society standards. But maybe my perspective is just distorted.

 

[ZapperZ]

Yes, I agree. But the my doubt is that in proportion with other professions, physicists have a great disproportion of this behaviour with respect the population. For example, lawyers must have shy and antisocial people, but comparing with population it is normal (I think) given that the population of lawyers is very big. But from my point of view, physicists have a disproportion. Maybe it can be that here the different kind of behaviour are quite remarkable because the population of physicists is quite small compared with other areas. For example, in a university with 15 physicists, the antisocial behaviour of two of them can be noticed easily, while in a enterprise with 100 lawyers the shyness of , let's say, 10 lawyers it is not so noticed by the others.

And you have done this study? Or are you just guessing?

What you have missed here, and what I tried to do with my earlier post, is to question the "data" that you used to draw up your conclusion. For example, how many and how often do you encounter actual physicists, rather than just what you see depicted in the media? Have you socialized with them? Have you seen a large enough sample to draw up an accurate conclusion?

I have the OPPOSITE impression of physicists than you, and I am a practicing physicists. What makes your view more accurate than mine?

Zz.

 

[fluidistic]

All the physicists I know at my university are professors or assistants. None of them are shy, as far as I recall. I'm not 100% sure about the anti social-ness though. They work a lot in their office/lab but between themselves I do not think they are anti social at all but that's just a guess.
What an erroneous stereotype you have !

 

[Pythagorean]

Anti social is a bad word, since they participate productively in society, they don't actively try to destroy it. Asocial would have fit the stereotype better.

 

[nitsuj]

Because socializing in the sense* that you're speaking is at odds with the relatively easy to comprehend logics of physics/math/anything with definitive logic. The brain gets primed for that kind of reasoning.

Social science is anything but a science in the light of mathimatical sciences with experimental proofs.


To say it different, social situations are difficult to "reason", in particular those interactions that dig deep into the sub-concious; like social interactions with the (attractive) opposite sex.

That is why (imho) generally speaking people with strong logic/reasoning skills are not particularly skilled with social interaction, it's typicaly grey.

That being said, I don't think this cooralates closely enough to physicists/scientists to make a general comment that they are shy. Note the difference between being shy, and being social retarded <-this probably preceeds shyness).

I would say though, that people of an Asocial? personality would preffer fields such as math/sciences as opposed to say a hairdresser or comedian.

*going to a bar alone and picking up chicks

 

[nitsuj]

Anti social is a bad word, since they participate productively in society, they don't actively try to destroy it. Asocial would have fit the stereotype better.

Ah thank you, I hate being labled anti-social for that exact reason. Stupid people (a joke)

 

[azbowler32]

Im 16 years old and see myself becoming a theoretical physicist professor in the near future.

Anyway, I think that most physicist, especially the theoretical kind, seem shy is because they are always pondering the questions of the unsustainable. They think of things that the average person thinks about all the time but just in a more elaborative way.

It's just what we do!

 

[Casco]

And you have done this study? Or are you just guessing?

To your first question, yes I am just guessing and not based in real data done in a study of this. I think is just a consequense of some of my experiences at my campus.

What you have missed here, and what I tried to do with my earlier post, is to question the "data" that you used to draw up your conclusion. For example, how many and how often do you encounter actual physicists, rather than just what you see depicted in the media? Have you socialized with them? Have you seen a large enough sample to draw up an accurate conclusion?

I think that I interact directly with 20 or 25 physicists everyday and those include students and professors. From there I conclude what I say and there is the possibility that I haven't seen a enough amount of samples o conclude this. I said at the beggining of the thread, if anybody knew about a serious study about this topic I would like to have the reference. So yes, I am just guessing.

What makes your view more accurate than mine?

Nothing, it is just a different point of view

 

[Casco]

All the physicists I know at my university are professors or assistants. None of them are shy, as far as I recall. I'm not 100% sure about the anti social-ness though. They work a lot in their office/lab but between themselves I do not think they are anti social at all but that's just a guess.
What an erroneous stereotype you have !

My intention it is not to stereotype anyone.

 

[Casco]

Anti social is a bad word, since they participate productively in society, they don't actively try to destroy it. Asocial would have fit the stereotype better.

Yes, I think that the words that I used are too strong, but I think that people got the idea.

 

[Casco]

Because socializing in the sense* that you're speaking is at odds with the relatively easy to comprehend logics of physics/math/anything with definitive logic. The brain gets primed for that kind of reasoning.

Social science is anything but a science in the light of mathimatical sciences with experimental proofs.


To say it different, social situations are difficult to "reason", in particular those interactions that dig deep into the sub-concious; like social interactions with the (attractive) opposite sex.

That is why (imho) generally speaking people with strong logic/reasoning skills are not particularly skilled with social interaction, it's typicaly grey.

That being said, I don't think this cooralates closely enough to physicists/scientists to make a general comment that they are shy. Note the difference between being shy, and being social retarded <-this probably preceeds shyness).

I would say though, that people of an Asocial? personality would preffer fields such as math/sciences as opposed to say a hairdresser or comedian.

*going to a bar alone and picking up chicks

This is what I thought when I was writing this thread, I just wanted to see if I am the only one with this thought . Thanks

 

[Pkruse]

I've worked with very intelligent people my whole life, most of them engineers but many of them physicists. I've seen no evidence to support your claim that they are in any way socially inept. But as all other people, they prefer to spend their time around people similar to themselves who understand what they find interesting, so they tend to socialize with other very intelligent people and prefer to avoid other types. Perhaps you have observed these same people from the perspective of the other type.

 

[nitsuj]

This is what I thought when I was writing this thread, I just wanted to see if I am the only one with this thought . Thanks

No problem, thanks for the food for thought.

To ZapperZ's point, we're not the only ones clearly. It's all over media, contrary to ZapperZ's point, nerds & geeks are not imaginary or emulated from tv, it's the other way around...logically. From the inside looking out perhaps.

 

[nitsuj]

I'll go ahead and say it. Stupid people have an interest in pop culture (including "pop" social venues); smart people have no interest pop culture. Generally speaking .

Perhaps high IQ & being pop cultured is an inverse relationship. Generally speaking , [STRIKE]& highly unlikely.[/STRIKE]

 

[Casco]

I've seen no evidence to support your claim that they are in any way socially inept.

I've never said socially inept

But as all other people, they prefer to spend their time around people similar to themselves who understand what they find interesting, so they tend to socialize with other very intelligent people and prefer to avoid other types. Perhaps you have observed these same people from the perspective of the other type.

and yes, maybe I am in the other type, because I don't like to socialize only with very intelligent people.

 

[SHISHKABOB]

I'm not good at talking to people but I think I'd be that way even if I wasn't studying physics.

 

[ZapperZ]

No problem, thanks for the food for thought.

To ZapperZ's point, we're not the only ones clearly. It's all over media, contrary to ZapperZ's point, nerds & geeks are not imaginary or emulated from tv, it's the other way around...logically. From the inside looking out perhaps.

Contrary to what point?

Nerds and geeks, as you call it, are NOT exclusive only to physics. The media also depicts computer scientists, engineers, mathematicians, etc...etc. as those.

But since when what the media depicts is accurate? And what does this have anything to do with anything in this thread?

Back to the original post. If this is simply a guess and is not based on anything concrete, then aren't we discussing the properties of a unicorn? It doesn't exist, you say? Ah, but it is depicted in the movies and on TV! So we're not the only one!

Zz.

 

[nitsuj]

Zapper of course we are speaking generally, so moving on from there you said

"For example, how many and how often do you encounter actual physicists, rather than just what you see depicted in the media?"

I never said nerds & geeks are exclusive to physics. I'm a geek and work in accounting.

You're suggesting what is depicted in the media is inaccurate, it's not (stay within context). Unless you are also suggesting that every scientist depicted on TV has poor social skills, which of course isn't the case.

You brought media into this thread Zapper, I thought is was inaccurate the way you used it to suggest the OP would be wrong to base a stereo type from what they see on TV. Stereo types shown on TV generaly speaking are not inaccurate. In fact it's damn near proof, in particular if the stereo type depicted is popular like Big Bang Theory, The Simpsons.

Note as well it's about hummor, so easy on offence.



"If this is simply a guess and is not based on anything concrete, then aren't we discussing the properties of a unicorn? It doesn't exist, you say? Ah, but it is depicted in the movies and on TV! So we're not the only one!"

Zapper your posts & reasoning are typically well above par. What on Earth is with that comment above? Since unicorns are not real, and are shown on screens, all that is on screen is not real? I can't even derive a valid point from that comment above.

 

[cbetanco]

But back on topic, I love to talk to girls, even the 'not so bright ones' too. They're very nice, kind, and love to hear about your life etc. I doubt I'll be very shy when I'm older.

Wait until you are older... At first you love talking to girls and love when they talk to you, but then later on you love it when they stop talking. They might seem to love hearing about your life now, but later they will love to tell you how to live your life... Or maybe I am just getting bitter and cynical.

 

[Rajput9572]

I think that that physicists are shy and antisocial, sometimes is much and sometimes is just a little. Some physicists have troubles when talking to girls in the case of men. It seems that there are not studies about this topic. Their behaviour and interaction with the world, socially speaking (I think) is very primitive compared with the academic or intelectual level that physicists have. I would like to hear your comment about this. Not necessarily all physicists are shy and antisocial. But I am quite sure that all of us have seen a colleague with this behaviour.

If anyone know about a serious investigation about this topic I would be very grateful to have the reference.

Actually some times people think that they don't need this world and they can live alone,This is the matter with the physicists.

 

[Tuya]

I'll go ahead and say it. Stupid people have an interest in pop culture (including "pop" social venues); smart people have no interest pop culture. Generally speaking .

Perhaps high IQ & being pop cultured is an inverse relationship. Generally speaking , [STRIKE]& highly unlikely.[/STRIKE]

I agree and I love you said it, but the word "stupid" people is a little inappropriate. They are just shallow humans, who don't examine things they do very much.