The purpose of this study was to analyse Italian high school and university students’ attitudes towards physics using the Semiotic Cultural Psychological Theory (SCPT). In the SCPT framework, attitudes represent how individuals interpret their experience through the mediation of generalized meaning with which they are identified. A view-of-physics questionnaire was used as an instrument to collect data with 1603 high school and university students. Data were analysed through multiple correspondence analysis and cluster analysis. We identified four generalized meanings of physics: (a) interesting and important for society; (b) a quite interesting, but badly taught subject at school and not completely useful for society; (c) difficult to study and irrelevant for society; and (d) a fascinating and protective niche from society. The identified generalized meanings are significantly correlated to the choice to study physics at undergraduate level and to the choice of attending physics-related activities in high school. Implications for research are discussed.

这项研究的目的是使用符号文化心理学理论（SCPT）分析意大利高中和大学生对物理学的态度。在SCPT框架中，态度代表个体如何通过识别他们的广义含义的中介来解释他们的经历。物理视图问卷被用作收集1603名高中生和大学生的数据的工具。通过多重对应分析和聚类分析对数据进行分析。我们确定了四种广义含义物理学：（a）对社会很重要且很重要；（b）一个很有趣但在学校却教授不好的科目，对社会没有完全的用处；（c）难以学习且与社会无关；（d）来自社会的迷人和保护性的利基市场。所确定的广义含义与本科学习物理的选择以及参加高中物理相关活动的选择显着相关。讨论了研究的意义。