Jock

“Jock” is a stereotype originating in the 1960s and referring to someone who is mainly interested in sports and athletics. Over time, the term “jock” grew into a type of subculture, particularly in high schools and colleges. Jocks were the athletic kids who joined any kind of sports team, including football, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, and ice hockey.

Stereotypically, jocks aren’t associated with high intellect or academic achievement—though, of course, that’s just the stereotype! However, words like “meathead” and “musclebrain” were also often associated with jocks because they were so often thought of as muscular and athletic but not very intellectual. In reality, many people enjoy both sporty and intellectual activities. Jocks and nerds are often seen as polar opposites—which is often a theme in American TV shows and movies, especially back in the 90s and 2000s.

The term “jock” originated from the word “jockstrap,” which is a garment used to protect male genitals while playing sports. People who identify with the jock subculture are generally thought to be strong, active, sporty, and tough.

Nerd

“Nerd” is a word that, at its core, describes an intelligent and knowledgeable person. However, by the 1970s, “nerd” also grew into a stereotype referring to people who were a little more socially awkward, overly studious, but also very savvy about computers, science, and technology.

The term “nerd” became popular in the 1980s, with young people everywhere using it to describe those uncool but academically high-achieving kids who wore glasses and seemed shy or even downright antisocial. The word gained some negative connotations in those days—although, over time, “nerd” has been reclaimed by people who identify with the “nerdy” subculture. By the 1990s, as the tech scene grew and the internet became more popular, being a nerd became downright cool!

Young people began proudly identifying themselves as “geeks” and “nerds,” and nerdy culture grew to encompass not only academic and technological prowess but also traditionally “nerdy” activities like reading, gaming, and enjoying fantasy/sci-fi media like Star Trek and Dungeons and Dragons. Today, “nerd” isn’t nearly as stigmatized as it used to be, and people within nerd culture wear the title like a badge of honor.

Prep

“Prep” or “Preppy” is a subculture that became popular in the mid-20th century until it evolved into what it is today. In the 1920s and 30s, magazines and films started to advertise a “preppy” look that came to be associated with specifically the elite students on college campuses, which is sometimes called the “Ivy League” style as well.

From there, the idea of a “preppy” style and subculture continued to grow in the 1950s and 60s, reaching its peak in the 1980s. Brands like Ralph Lauren created fashion lines designed to capture the prep style, emulating wealthy, “preppy” people yet making that style of clothing available to anyone in the country, popularizing the idea of dressing like a prep. Young people of all different social classes wanted to engage with the subculture and look like preps—ideally, so that they could one day fully live like the wealthy aristocrats who inspired the preppy look.

Clothing, including polo shirts, khaki pants, and boat shoes, are all staples of the “prep” style. Some preps are seen as snobby or entitled since they’re more likely to be from an affluent, upper-class background. However, preps also have a reputation for politeness, self-assurance, and prosperity.

Goth

Unlike the other subcultures in this quiz, “goth” is primarily a music-based subculture. It rose to prominence as a youth subculture in the 1970s, although “gothic” themes have existed in art, architecture, and fashion for centuries!

Goth subculture is mainly characterized by a fascination with macabre themes, death, and the supernatural. It originated among fans of gothic rock, though it also drew influences from 19th-century gothic fiction, horror films, and fashion from the Victorian, Edwardian, and Belle Époque eras. Goth subculture is often associated with dark, moody music (particularly genres like alternative, death rock, punk, and metal) and tends to be centered on music festivals and nightclubs.

“Goth” people are also often associated with a particular style involving dark (mainly black) clothing, hair, and makeup. The goth scene also strongly embraces the idea of rejecting cultural norms and embracing a more individualistic, expressive style instead—which is why, despite the fact that it’s not as popular nowadays, gothic subculture continues to influence artists, musicians, and pop culture today.