With a simple Google search, it's easy to find various definitions for the phenomenon commonly referred to as the Seattle Freeze. Most definitions refer to a belief that it's difficult to make friends in Seattle, especially for newcomers.

In our quest to explore the freeze, KING 5 sat down with University of Washington Sociologist Dr. Pepper Schwartz to get her take.

What is the freeze? 

For newcomers, defining the freeze is often the first task.

Schwartz describes the freeze as the way people interact. That doesn't necessarily mean people are rude, just that some interactions tend to be more surface-level and less "let's be friends" focused. For some, that's not a problem. For others, especially newcomers, making friends can be a challenge.

What's the cause? 

Schwartz said there plenty of reasons as to why the freeze can be a real thing.

"I think demographic, cultural, historical – why is New York the way it is, where everybody is friendly and wants to tell you what they're thinking about? I think partially because they've got a big ethnic population. We don't have many Italians, we don't have many Jews, don't have many Greeks, we don't have many Mediterraneans, and we don't have many New Yorkers to have learned a different way of talking to each other," Schwartz said. "So part of it is demographic with cultural backgrounds differing."

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Western Washington is known for its gloomy, rainy weather. Could the weather be at the root of it all?

"The weather might have something to do with it in the sense that you'd say maybe rain gets people in, but I think here people go out in it," Schwartz said. "I think it's a mark of pride for Seattleites that you don't have an umbrella. I don't know if the weather has a dampening effect on our moods, though. This is a pretty depressive place from November, to well, some people say June, I'd say maybe March or April, but the fact is that we do have a kind of weather like London, like other people see in Scandinavia, and there is more depression when you have glum weather."

What's to blame? 

If the weather may not be to blame entirely, who is? Schwartz said the freeze might be a behavioral trait passed down over the years.

"Well I think we started out very Scandinavian," said Schwartz. "We were timber people and fishing people. A lot of people came here from Finland Sweden, various places that were not exactly Mediterranean."

The rapid growth of the tech industry has some questioning if the freeze has only become worse. Schwartz believes the freeze preceded techies.

"We haven't until the last couple of years had huge immigration, but a lot of that immigration is in an area for techies, so maybe they're being friendlier with each other than we are," Schwartz said.

Digging deeper, with so many people moving to the Seattle area, does the mere fact that the phenomenon has a name cause some to automatically retreat?

"Well, I think the idea that there is a Seattle Freeze does permeate newbies, so in a sense, they expect it and maybe the interpret things differently, but I think a lot of people coming in at once does change it because people need to reach out," Schwartz said. "They need to meet people. The problem is a lot of those people are encapsulated. If you go to Amazon, if you go to Google, if you go to Microsoft, you go to campuses, so those places become where you interact as opposed to getting out of your office and getting out on the town and meeting new people."

How do we thaw out? 

If you're a believer in the Seattle Freeze, Schwartz said it's up to you. Each person has to try to step outside of their own bubble and make an effort.

"I like the idea of thawing out the freeze," Schwartz said. "All you have to do is reach out to the person in line with you, talk to the person you don't know before you go into the music festival you're going to, sit next to people in a movie and introduce yourself, go to a party and not just talk to the people you know. It's really easy to do. I think we have to learn how to do it."

"I think we all have more humanity in us than we recognize, and I think the freeze keeps us from that. It also keeps us, I think, from knowing the world as a much larger place than just our own bitty place, and I think you learn a lot when you talk to somebody who you might not have talked to in the everyday unfolding of your own life. I think we all need each other. I think we need to go back to a larger more general sense of self, and I think melting the freeze is important for that."

RELATED: Four ways to thaw Seattle Freeze from Dr. Pepper Schwartz

Do you think the Seattle Freeze is real? Weigh in on KING 5 reporter Brit Moorer's Facebook page.

SEATTLE — The Seattle Theatre Group (STG) will require proof of vaccination for entry into all of its show venues starting Aug.12, in an effort to keep patrons and staff safe from COVID-19.

The nonprofit group owns and operates three show venues, including the Paramount, the Moore and Neptune Theatres.

"Our job here is to connect artists and audiences," said STG Executive Director Josh LaBelle. "We're hearing a lot from patrons and from artists about their concerns, and their desire for us to do as much as we can to make them safe."

LaBelle said the prevalence of the delta variant was the catalyst for the requirement. Starting Thursday, theatre attendees must provide proof of vaccination along with a valid I.D. to enter the venue.

Acceptable proof of vaccination includes vaccination cards, a photo of the card, or documentation from a healthcare provider or state immunization record.

LaBelle said the requirements are not intended to cause divisions.

"We care deeply about our patrons and if you're somebody who doesn't want to take the vaccine for any reason or you cannot take the vaccine, we still have a path for you here," LaBelle said.

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Those unable to get vaccinated and children 12 and under who are unable to be vaccinated, must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 before attending a performance, or provide proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen test taken within 24 hours before attending a performance.

LaBelle said venues will have computers available to show proof online, should fully vaccinated people arrive at the door but don't have, or forgot to bring proof on them.

Bryan and Jen Zug said the show they attended at the Neptune Saturday night was the first indoor performance they've seen in a year and a half.

"This is what we're doing inside shows and things like that in order to make it feel safer and build up the ecosystem of arts around town and in the community," Bryan Zug said.

Jen Zug said she had no problem proving she is vaccinated for the sake of safety and for venue operations.

"I mean they need to be able to do something to try to stay open because they need jobs, musicians need a place to play, and people like us love to go see shows," Jen Zug said.

Masks will also be required for all show patrons in all sections at STG venues, except while patrons are eating and drinking.

STG's policy comes as Live Nation announced it will require employees to be vaccinated and allow performers to dictate whether attendees must show proof of vaccination.

RELATED: Reports: Live Nation will let artists require COVID vaccines and negative tests at venues