The Psychology Of The Geek, In 6 Basic Characteristics
Hippies, goths, otakus, punks, heavies, nerds, geeks, millennials …All these terms and words have been heard relatively frequently in recent times. These are different cultures or urban tribes. This concept related to social phenomena refers to a group of people in which a distinctive set of beliefs and behaviors develops that differentiates them from the rest of the members of the same society.
An urban tribe is a way of cultural and social expression presented by a group of individuals from the same society, this culture being chosen and modulated by the subjects that make it up according to their context and way of living. Some are formed around a style or musical taste, others around an ideology and they also exist linked to the existence of a common hobby.
One of these subcultures, urban cultures or urban tribes, that is currently enjoying growing popularity is geek culture. But… Are there psychological characteristics that define this group?
Coming from English from a period in which it was a pejorative label, The word “geek” refers to a person who has a high level of attraction and fascination with everything related to technology, electronic entertainment and science fiction. There is a high heterogeneity within this category, the common denominator being interest in technology.
Within this group we could, for example, find hackers, individuals with a great fondness for gadgets, some fans of science fiction and fantasy or individuals with a high interest in electronic entertainment (the latter better known as gamers in the present).
Although, as has been said at first, the term geek had negative connotations, Nowadays this concept is seen with increasing acceptance and recognition by society its culture being quite well valued and even a “Geek Pride Day” having been established.
But what characteristics does someone classified within this urban tribe usually possess?
Entering the geek’s mind
Various studies have been carried out that have attempted to analyze the characteristics of the members of different subcultures and their distinctive personality. Regarding geek culture, some of the results reflected by these studies (highlighting that of McCain, Gentile and Campbell) are the following:
1. Interest in technologies
The interest in technologies and their operation is, as previously statedthe common point of the different types of subjects called geeks
2. Neophilia
Many so-called (and self-proclaimed) geeks have what is known as neophilia, that is, a strong attraction and affinity towards technology (especially technology). This implies a certain level of rejection of routine and a certain capacity to adapt to changes.
3. Political disenchantment
Various studies with numerous volunteers show that A large number of individuals classified within this urban culture feel an aversion towards politics That is, they tend not to feel comfortable, ignored and not represented by political bodies. Likewise, this leads them to greater participation in apolitical civic associations.
Some studies carried out regarding the level of creativity of the members of this subculture seem to indicate that geeks tend to carry out a greater number of creative projects, both at work and leisure, than average. An example of this is the group of hackers, who show a high capacity to find and create new methods and mechanisms in the world of computing.
5. Openness to experience and extraversion
Although the stereotypical image of geeks seems to reflect introverted people with little social contact, the studies carried out indicate the opposite, correlating the data obtained through the study with medium and moderate levels of extraversion.
Perhaps the topic is due to the poor social consideration that this group had when the geek concept was created, something that could lead to social rejection and, consequently, to people labeled with this term adopting a defensive attitude based on their past experiences. In this way, the current positive consideration of this group makes it easier for their social ties to be greater and of higher quality.
6. Relative tendency towards depression and/or grandiosity
The individuals studied also had a propensity for depressive-type states and disorders, manifesting low levels of self-esteem. However, a moderate percentage of individuals who were attracted to geek culture showed high scores on characteristics that suggested the existence of a certain level of narcissism.
Final considerations: the risks of labeling
Although many people value being classified within this and other subcultures positively, The risks and excessive use of labels must be taken into account ; Categorizing people based on their tastes or characteristics can lead to various problems. Being included within a specific group means that there will be a tendency to assume the presence of certain personal characteristics that may or may not be possessed, and will also pose a problem when linking to people outside one’s own group.
Furthermore, although the current social perception of what is understood by geek is acceptably good, it is still true that until the 1990s the term was used pejoratively, assuming the existence of certain prejudices (some of which even today they remain latent) that in certain situations could harm individuals considered as such.
Being labeled within a group can contribute to the process of forming an identity and entails the risk that the label does not fit our characteristics, which may lead to self-censorship to adjust to the ingroup and the establishment of competitive relationships with other social categories.
Both when identifying with a group and when trying to classify other people, one must avoid falling into stereotypical and/or prejudiced judgments that can have serious consequences for the labeled subject and/or the social group in which they are identified. that is catalogued.
Thornton, S. (1995). Club cultures. Music, media and subcultural capital, Wesleyan University Press, Hanover.
