Why Are Physicists Shy & Antisocial?

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The discussion centers around the stereotype that physicists are shy and antisocial, with participants sharing personal observations and experiences. While some contributors acknowledge that certain physicists exhibit shyness, they argue that this behavior is not universal and may be exaggerated. The conversation highlights that many physicists are social and engaging, countering the stereotype with examples of well-known physicists like Feynman, who were quite gregarious. Participants also explore the idea that the perception of physicists as socially inept may stem from their intense focus on academic pursuits, leading to less time spent in social settings. The lack of empirical studies on this topic is noted, with a call for more research to understand the social dynamics within the physics community. Overall, the thread emphasizes the diversity of personalities among physicists and questions the validity of the stereotype.
  • #51
Ryan_m_b said:
In all my time there I don't remember meeting a single physicist...clearly shy to the point of hiding :-p

University of Sussex guy owned! haha
 
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  • #52
There are a lot of stereotypes that aren't really true, and I believe this to be one of them. What I would actually anticipate is that just the opposite is actually true and that this falls into the same category as "why are smart people unattractive/socially inept/very thin?," etc."

Instead ask, though, "Why do I THINK physicists are shy?" or "Why does SOCIETY think physicists are shy?" You could say that the myth is perpetuated by pop culture (Big Bang Theory, etc.), or maybe you could find a few high profile examples that were falsely generalized. Newton, for example.

Maybe you could even ask "Are people with asperger's syndrome more drawn to physics than the general population?"
 

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