In one scene in Hidden Figures, Kevin Costner is giving a speech to the assembled mathematicians. Kevin mentions one mathematician's accomplishment, and everyone applauds by snapping their fingers repeatedly instead of clapping. A few seconds later, Kevin finished the speech and everyone applauds by clapping.

I've only seen snapping applause in movies as a "hipster" thing done in an underground music club. Was this part of NASA culture? 60's culture? Does the snapping have some different meaning than clapping does?

EDIT: As Paulie\_D pointed out in his answer, it is Jim Parsons who initiates the finger-snapping, not Kevin Costner.