People, can you guess when someone is behaving differently in public than when they are alone?

[Anonymous]

I know a guy who is really quiet when he is sitting in his home or hostel, in his room, alone. Like depressed quiet.

But the same guy is really talkative, is self-approaching towards unknown people as if full of energy when among people.

Is this shift in energy and attitude common or?

I gave a visit to his hostel unannounced and found these striking details.

[NathanDavis]

absolutely common and normal...

if he were social, and talkative and actively energetic in engaging with "someone" while he is completely ALONE, now that would be NOT normal... that would probably be some sort of mental issue, lol

[Andres77]

I believe it’s called the hawthorne effect.

that behavior changes when one knows they are being observed.

[Asker]

Which behavior is true then? And for how much time can these people fake the fake behavior?

[Andres77]

Some people can fake it for decades. Have you never heard of a traveling salesman who has two families in different states?

[Asker]

I have not, but I will search it for sure.

[OlderAndWiser]

I guess that I either have very unguarded friends or that I am easily fooled.

[Guy13]

All the time…like right now. Back from church…underwear on couch eating pulled pork. “Naked, not at kitchen island, cereal bowl instead of plate. I wish I could be the same all the time 🙃

[bean2k21]

Ah yes, the self-approaching type. Always trying to decrease the Euclidean distance between two points on themselves.