Generations are a popular tool in marketing, communication, and education, offering simplistic descriptions of people based on whether they are Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X, or a Baby Boomer. While commonly used, generations are problematic from a science or evidence-based perspective.

What Are Generations?

Generations are rooted in the work of William Strauss and Neil Howe’s collaborative efforts. While their theory gained popularity, it is criticized as pseudoscience.

Pitfalls of Using Generations to Understand People

Even though generations are a common feature in popular culture in the U.S., they present challenges when interpreting and understanding human behavior and communication.

1. Generations have arbitrary boundaries, and generational boundaries are not a hard science.
2. Generations are biased towards Western culture.
3. Generations do not account for the influence of external factors such as rurality or availability of broadband internet.
4. Generations exaggerate the intergenerational divide.
5. Generations tend to focus on the characteristics of the young. People change over time. Youth is not a permanent state.
6. Generations promote stereotypes and oversimplification.
7. Stereotypes about the generations may skew towards the experience of the upper middle class.
8. There is a lack of longitudinal data available to compare differences between generations.

Recent Webinar on Generations

Recently, a webinar was held by the North Central Region Aging Network to explore the generations. This session aimed to identify generations and their birth years, compare and contrast generational stereotypes, and discuss how to communicate across different generations.

Access to Presentation Slides

For Extension professionals interested in providing educational sessions about the different generations, the slides from the webinar are available for use. These materials offer an interactive lesson that will encourage participants to challenge what they think they know about the generations.

To receive the slides, contact Leacey E. Brown, South Dakota State University Extension Gerontology Field Specialist by email (leacey.brown@sdstate.edu).

References

• 5 things to keep in mind when you hear about Gen Z, Millennials, Boomers and other generations. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/05/22/5-things-to-keep-in-mind-when-you-hear-about-gen-z-millennials-boomers-and-other-generations/
• Are generations a useful concept? https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2023.104059
• As Millennials Near 40, They’re Approaching Family Life Differently Than Previous Generations https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/05/27/as-millennials-near-40-theyre-approaching-family-life-differently-than-previous-generations/
• Assessing the effects of generation using age-period-cohort analysis https://www.pewresearch.org/decoded/2023/05/22/assessing-the-effects-of-generation-using-age-period-cohort-analysis/
• Generations and Generational Differences: Debunking Myths in Organizational Science and Practice and Paving New Paths Forward https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-020-09715-2
• How Pew Research Center will report on generations moving forward. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/05/22/how-pew-research-center-will-report-on-generations-moving-forward/
• How to Communicate about Aging https://ncran.org/how-to-communicate-about-aging/
• Pew Research Center: New Stance On Generational Labels, With A Caveat https://www.forbes.com/sites/sheilacallaham/2023/05/28/pew-research-center-new-stance-on-generational-labels-with-a-caveat/?form=MG0AV3
• The Whys and Hows of Generations Research https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2015/09/03/the-whys-and-hows-of-generations-research/