https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_gap
A generation gap or generational gap is a difference of opinions between one generation and another regarding beliefs, politics, or values. In today's usage, generation gap often refers to a perceived gap between younger people and their parents or grandparents.
A generation gap or generational gap is a difference of opinions between one generation and another regarding beliefs, politics, or values. In today's usage, generation gap often refers to a perceived gap between younger people and their parents or grandparents.
History
Early sociologists such as Karl Mannheim noted differences across generations in how the youth transits into adulthood.
and studied the ways in which generations separate themselves from one
another, in the home and in social situations and areas (such as
churches, clubs, senior centers, and youth centers).
The sociological theory of a generation gap first came to light in the 1960s, when the younger generation (later known as baby boomers) seemed to go against everything their parents (likely the Silent Generation)
had previously believed in terms of music, values, governmental and
political views as well as cultural tastes. Sociologists now refer to
"generation gap" as "institutional age segregation". Usually, when any
of these age groups is engaged in its primary activity, the individual
members are physically isolated from people of other generations, with
little interaction across age barriers except at the nuclear family level.
Distinguishing generation gaps
There are several ways to make distinctions between generations. For example, names are given to major groups (baby boomers, Gen X, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha) and each generation sets its own trends and has its own cultural impact.
Language use
It
can be distinguished by the differences in their language use. The
generation gap has created a parallel gap in language that can be
difficult to communicate across. This issue is one visible throughout
society, creating complications within a day to day communication at
home, in the workplace, and within schools. As new generations seek to
define themselves as something apart from the old, they adopt new lingo
and slang, allowing a generation to create a sense of division from the
previous one. This is a visible gap between generations we see every
day. "Man's most important symbol is his language and through this
language, he defines his reality."
Slang
Slang is an
ever-changing set of colloquial words and phrases that speakers use to
establish or reinforce social identity or cohesiveness within a group or
with a trend in society at large.
As each successive generation of society struggles to establish its own
unique identity among its predecessors it can be determined that
generational gaps provide a large influence over the continual change
and adaptation of slang. As slang is often regarded as an ephemeral
dialect, a constant supply of new words is required to meet the demands
of the rapid change in characteristics.
And while most slang terms maintain a fairly brief duration of
popularity, slang provides a quick and readily available vernacular
screen to establish and maintain generational gaps in a societal
context.
Technological influences
Every
generation develops new slang, but with the development of technology,
understanding gaps have widened between the older and younger
generations. "The term 'communication skills,' for example, might mean
formal writing and speaking abilities to an older worker. But it might
mean e-mail and instant-messenger savvy to a twenty-something." People often have private conversations in secret in a crowded room in today's age due to the advances of mobile phones and text messaging.
Among "texters" a form of slang or texting lingo has developed, often
keeping those not as tech-savvy out of the loop. "Children increasingly
rely on personal technological devices like cell phones to define
themselves and create social circles apart from their families, changing
the way they communicate with their parents. Cell phones, instant
messaging, e-mail and the like have encouraged younger users to create
their own inventive, quirky and very private written language. That has
given them the opportunity to essentially hide in plain sight. They are
more connected than ever, but also far more independent. Text messaging,
in particular, has perhaps become this generation's version of pig Latin."
While in the case with language skills such as shorthand,
a system of stenography popular during the twentieth century,
technological innovations occurring between generations have made these
skills obsolete. Older generations used shorthand to be able to take
notes and write faster using abbreviated symbols, rather than having to
write each word. However, with new technology and keyboards, newer
generations no longer need these older communication skills, like Gregg shorthand.
Although over 20 years ago, language skills such as shorthand classes
were taught in many high schools, now students have rarely seen or even
heard of forms like shorthand.
The transitions from each level of lifespan development have
remained the same throughout history. They have all shared the same
basic milestones in their travel from childhood, through midlife and
into retirement. However, while the pathways remain the same—i.e.
attending school, marriage, raising families, retiring—the actual
journey varies not only with each individual, but with each new
generation.
For instance, as time goes on, technology is being introduced to
individuals at younger and younger ages. While the Baby Boomers had to
introduce Atari and VCRs to their parents, Generation Y’ers had to teach
their parents how to maneuver such things as DVRs, cell phones and
social media.
There is a vast difference in Generation Y’ers and the Baby Boomers when
it comes to technology. In 2011, the National Sleep Foundation
conducted a poll that focused on sleep and the use of technology; 95% of
those polled admitted to using some form of technology within the last
hour before going to bed at night. The study compared the difference in
sleep patterns in those who watched TV or listened to music prior to
bedtime compared to those who used cell phones, video games and the
Internet.
The study looked at Baby Boomers (born 1946–1964), Generation
Xers (born 1965–1980), Generation Yers (born 1981–1996) and Generation
Zers (born 1997 onward). The research, as expected, showed generational
gaps between the different forms of technology used. The largest gap was
shown between texting and talking on the phone; 56% of Gen Zers and 42%
of Gen Y’ers admitted to sending, receiving, reading text messages
every night within one hour prior to bedtime, compared to only 15% of
Gen Xers, and 5% of Baby Boomers. Baby Boomers were more likely to watch
TV within the last hour prior to bedtime, 67%, compared to Gen Y’ers,
who came in at 49%. When asked about computer/internet use within the
last hour prior to bedtime, 70% of those polled admitted to using a
computer "a few times a week", and from those, 55% of the Gen Z’ers said
they "surf the web" every night before bed.
Language brokering
Another phenomenon within a language that works to define a
generation gap occurs within families in which different generations
speak different primary languages. In order to find a means to
communicate within the household environment, many have taken up the
practice of language brokering, which refers to the "interpretation and
translation performed in everyday situations by bilinguals who have had
no special training".
In immigrant families where the first generation speaks primarily in
their native tongue, the second generation primarily in the language of
the country in which they now live while still retaining fluency in
their parent's dominant language, and the third generation primarily in
the language of the country they were born in while retaining little to
no conversational language in their grandparent's native tongue, the
second generation family members serve as interpreters not only to
outside persons, but within the household, further propelling
generational differences and divisions by means of linguistic
communication.
Furthermore, in some immigrant families and communities, language
brokering is also used to integrate children into family endeavors and
into civil society. Child integration
has become very important to form linkages between new immigrant
communities and the predominant culture and new forms of bureaucratic
systems. It also serves towards child development by learning and pitching in.
Workplace attitudes
USA Today
reported that younger generations are "entering the workplace in the
face of demographic change and an increasingly multi-generational
workplace".
Multiple engagement studies show that the interests shared across the
generation gap by members of this increasingly multi-generational
workplace can differ substantially.
A popular belief held by older generations is that the characteristics of Millennials
can potentially complicate professional interactions. Some consider
Millennials to be narcissistic and self-centered When millennials first
enter a new organization, they are often greeted with wary coworkers.
Studies have found that millennials are usually exceptionally confident
in their abilities and seek key roles in significant projects early on
in their careers.
Most of these inflated expectations are direct results of the generation's upbringing. During the Great Recession,
millennials watched first-hand as their parents worked long hours, only
to fall victim to downsizing and layoffs. Many families could not
withstand these challenges, leading to high divorce rates and broken
families. In fact, fifty-nine percent of Millennials say the Great
Recession negatively impacted their career plans, while only 35% of
mature workers feel the same way. For these reasons, millennials are more likely to negotiate the terms of their work.
Though some boomers view this as lazy behavior, others have actually
been able to learn from millennials, reflecting on whether the
sacrifices that they had made in their lives provided them with the
happiness that they had hoped for.
Growing up, millennials looked to parents, teachers, and coaches
as a source of praise and support. They were a part of an educational
system with inflated grades and Standardized tests,
in which they were skilled at performing well. Millennials developed a
strong need for frequent, positive feedback from supervisors. Today,
managers find themselves assessing their subordinates’ productivity
quite frequently, despite the fact that they often find it burdensome.
Additionally, millennials’ salaries and Employee benefits
give this generation an idea of how well they are performing.
Millennials crave success, and good-paying jobs have been proven to make
them feel more successful.
Because group projects and presentations were commonplace during
the schooling of millennials, this generation enjoys collaborating and
even developing close friendships with colleagues. While working as part
of a team enhances innovation, enhances productivity, and lowers
personnel costs. Supervisors find that millennials avoid risk and
independent responsibility by relying on team members when making
decisions, which prevents them from showcasing their own abilities.
Perhaps the most commonly cited difference between older and
younger generations is technological proficiency. Studies have shown
that their reliance on technology has made millennials less comfortable
with face-to-face interaction and deciphering verbal cues. However,
technological proficiency also has its benefits; millennials are far
more effective in multitasking, responding to visual stimulation, and
filtering information than older generations.
However, according to the engagement studies, mature workers and
the new generations of workers share similar thoughts on a number of
topics across the generation gap. Their opinions overlap on flexible
working hours/arrangements, promotions/bonuses, the importance of
computer proficiency, and leadership. Additionally, the majority of
Millennials and mature workers enjoy going to work every day and feel
inspired to do their best.
Generational consciousness
Generational
consciousness is another way of distinguishing among generations that
was worked on by social scientist Karl Mannheim. Generational
consciousness is when a group of people become mindful of their place in
a distinct group identifiable by their shared interests and values.
Social, economic, or political changes can bring awareness to these
shared interests and values for similarly-aged people who experience
these events together and thereby form a generational consciousness.
These types of experiences can impact individuals' development at a
young age and enable them to begin making their own interpretations of
the world based on personal encounters that set them apart from other
generations.
Intergenerational living
"Both
social isolation and loneliness in older men and women are associated
with increased mortality, according to a 2012 Report by the National
Academy of Sciences of the United States of America".
Intergenerational living is one method being used worldwide as a means
of combating such feelings. A nursing home in Deventer, The Netherlands,
developed a program wherein students from a local university are
provided small, rent-free apartments within the nursing home facility.
In exchange, the students volunteer a minimum of 30 hours per month to
spend time with the seniors. The students will watch sports with the
seniors, celebrate birthdays, and simply keep them company during
illnesses and times of distress.
Programs similar to the Netherlands’ program were developed as far
back as the mid-1990s in Barcelona, Spain. In Spain's program, students
were placed in seniors’ homes, with a similar goal of free or cheap
housing in exchange for companionship for the elderly. That program
quickly spread to 27 other cities throughout Spain, and similar programs
can be found in Lyon, France, and Cleveland, Ohio.
Demographics
In
order for sociologists to understand the transition into adulthood of
children in different generation gaps, they compare the current
generation to both older and earlier generations at the same time. Not
only does each generation experience their own ways of mental and
physical maturation, but they also create new aspects of attending
school, forming new households, starting families and even creating new
demographics. The difference in demographics regarding values, attitudes
and behaviors between the two generations are used to create a profile
for the emerging generation of young adults.
Following the thriving economic success that was a product of the
Second World War, America's population skyrocketed between the years
1940-1959, to which the new American generation was called the Baby Boomers.
Today, as of 2017, many of these Baby Boomers have celebrated their
60th birthdays and in the next few years America's senior citizen
population will boost exponentially due to the population of people who
were born during the years 1940 and 1959. The generation gap, however,
between the Baby Boomers and earlier generations is growing due to the
Boomers population post-war.
There is a large demographic difference between the Baby Boomer
generation and earlier generations, where earlier generations are less
racially and ethnically diverse than the Baby Boomers’ population.
Where this drastic racial demographic difference occurs also holds to a
continually growing cultural gap as well; baby boomers have had
generally higher education, with a higher percentage of women in the
labor force and more often occupying professional and managerial
positions. These drastic culture and generation gaps create issues of community preferences as well as spending.
