People Are Insufferable When It's Hot Out, Science Confirms

In a three-part study titled "Exploring the Impact of Ambient Temperature on Helping," researchers Liuba Belkin of Lehigh University and Maryam Kouchaki of Northwestern University examined the differences in individual behavior of Russian retail clerks working in uncomfortably hot temperature conditions versus normal ones. The clerks stuck in a hot environment were found to be 50 percent less likely to engage in prosocial behaviors, defined as volunteering to help customers, listening actively, and making suggestions.

During the second part of the study, a portion of online survey participants were told to imagine situations where they were uncomfortably hot then asked to participate in another survey for free. Only 34 percent of participants asked to recall uncomfortable heat agreed to take the survey. In comparison, 76 percent of participants in the control group, otherwise known as people who did not have to relive memories of heat-induced thigh-chafing, agreed to taking the survey.

Merely imagining heat made the first group of participants "more fatigued, [reducing] their positive affect and ultimately, prosocial behavior," showing that you don't even have to experience heat to access its negative effects. You just have to think about.

Watch: The NASA Engineer on a Feminist Voyage

For the third portion of the study, college students were placed in two different lecture halls. One was air conditioned while the other was 15 percent hotter. Both sets of students were asked to answer questions and fill out a survey. In the hotter room, only 64 percent of students agreed to answer at least one question. In comparison, 95 percent of the students basking in air conditioned privilege agreed to take the survey, displaying that even slight fluctuations in temperature change behavior.

Belkin told Quartz, "Temperature affects individual states that shape emotional and behavioral reactions, so people help less in an uncomfortable environment, whatever the reason they come up with to justify why they cannot do."

Aimee, a New York resident who plans her life around the heat index, is a prime example of an individual using the heat to justify her unhelpful and antisocial behavior. "If my legs are sticking to anything, my mood is automatically decreased by at least half," she said. "Since I already schlep to work five days a week, the thought of leaving on the weekend is terrifying. When I do go outside, god forbid, I do think I'm more grumpy. Some of my friends have told me that I am 'snappy.'"

"During the summer, I need 20 hours of rest a day, like a koala," said Vijay, an aspiring DJ. When asked to clarify, he told me that streaming movies, preparing light meals, and napping all constituted as "rest" for him. However, he noted that he prefers ordering delivery more than making his own meals. Vijay believes that he is still a "jovial" person even when it is hot out but admits he "might be less friendly."

When asked to comment on this research, my sister, Louise, replied that she will contribute her "entire life's work" to this piece, referencing her life-long attempt to stay indoors during the summer. For almost 20 years, her summer schedule has consisted of laying in bed for as long as she can manage while tricking various family members, most notably our mom, into bringing her snacks and beverages.

Louise, who is on break from her liberal arts college, is living at home while taking summer courses. Days are spent sleeping while she binge-streams TV shows at night. "When choosing my classes, I set the course schedule filters to only let me see classes that start after six to seven PM. I'm still stuck driving outside before the sun sets on most days but usually the light is already fading." Later, Louise informed me that she eats child-marketed gummy vitamins every day (sometimes more than the recommended two gummies) to make up for her self-diagnosed Vitamin-D deficiency.

Monica, a notable outlier, said "I'm at my most productive during the summer. I try to go on runs before the heat gets really bad around noon. After my run, I try to hang out with friends, get work done, and run errands. I've also gone out every night this past week." However, it's important to note that I think she is lying.