Almost every classroom has them. The students who quietly walk in, skip the front rows, and settle into the back bench before class begins. For decades, backbenchers have been portrayed in movies and popular culture as distracted, rebellious, funny, or academically weak.
Real psychology paints a much more balanced picture. There is no scientific evidence that everyone who sits at the back of a classroom shares the same personality or level of motivation. Seat choice can be influenced by confidence, friendships, eyesight, classroom layout, teaching style, anxiety, habit, and even whether someone arrived late.
