Generation - a group of people who were born in a certain period of time and experienced the influence of the same characteristics of education and events, have similar values. We don’t notice all these factors that are inconspicuous, but they determine our behavior in many ways: how we build teams and resolve conflicts, communicate, develop, how and what we buy, how we set goals, what motivates us.
Sociologists distinguish generation X, Y and Z. After reading this article, you will learn which people should be attributed to one or another of them, as well as what are the characteristics of each of these groups. Of course, it is only very conditionally possible to single out the generation X, Y, Z. However, each of them has its own characteristic features by which they differ from each other. XYZ Generation Theory is becoming very popular today. We invite readers to get to know her. Let's start with the oldest group, which is distinguished by the theory of generations.
Generation X
These are people born between 1965 and 1982. The term itself was proposed by Jane Dverson, a British researcher, as well as Charles Hamlett, a Hollywood reporter. The writer Douglas Copeland consolidated it in his work . The events that influenced this generation are “Desert Storm”, the Afghan War, the beginning of the computer era, the First Chechen War. Sometimes people born in these years are assigned to generation Y, and sometimes to Z (although the latter were not in the project). The letter X sometimes unites generation Y and Z.
Features of representatives of generation X
People in the United States are usually called people who were born during the period after the demographic explosion of the birth rate decline. In 1964, Jane Deverson conducted a study, the object of which was the British youth. It revealed that young people belonging to this generation are not religious, enter into intimate relationships before the wedding, do not respect their parents, do not like the queen, do not change their surname after marriage. Womans Own magazine declined to publish the results. Then Deverson went to Hollywood in order to publish a book with Charles Hamlett. He came up with the name "Generation X". Douglas Copeland, a Canadian writer, appreciated this eye-catching title. In his book he cemented it. Copeland's work is dedicated to the anxieties and fears of people who were born between 1960 and 1965.
Generation Y
Different people can be attributed to this generation if we rely on different sources. Some argue that this is all born from the early 1980s. Others believe that the border should be drawn from 1983 to the end of the 1990s. And some also capture the early 2000s. Another option (perhaps the most convincing) is from 1983 to the end of the 1990s.
It should be noted that for this reason, 2 people who were born with a difference of only 1-3 years can be attributed to different generations. More like the truth is that two even those born on the same day can belong to different generations. It depends on the cultural context, the growing environment, the technological, educational and social capabilities of these people.
Characteristics of Generation Y
The term "Generation Y" was proposed by a magazine called Advertising Age. It is believed that the formation of the worldview of its representatives was influenced by the collapse of the USSR, perestroika, terrorism, the dashing 90s, wars (in Chechnya, Iraq, etc.), the international financial crisis, unemployment and rising housing costs, pop culture, television, video hosting and torrent trackers, the development of the Internet and mobile communications, social networks, computer technology, video games, meme and flash mob cultures, the evolution of devices, online communication, etc.
The main thing that this generation can be characterized is its involvement in digital technologies, as well as the philosophical paradigm of the millennium (the new millennium). Moreover, he is characterized by a new round of division into conservative and liberal views. Perhaps the most important thing is the desire to delay the transition of its representatives into adulthood, which is actually a concept of eternal youth (not without depressive interludes).
Today in sociology there is an acute question of what should be considered adulthood. Larry Nelson suggested that representatives of generation Y, due to the negative example of their predecessors, are in no hurry to assume the obligations of adulthood. This, on the one hand, is true and logical. However, on the other hand, this does not take into account that people Y already have different brains. Eugenia Shamis suggested that generation Y does not and cannot have heroes, but there are idols, and subsequently representatives of this generation will become heroes for new ones. Also, people related to Y, in a special way relate to corporate culture. They expect benefits and results from work, prefer a flexible schedule, strive to adjust working conditions to fit their life, etc. They realized that life is diverse and beautiful, and hierarchy is a convention.
Generation Z
Until recently, people who were born before the early 2000s were also referred to generation Y. And only now, after a series of studies, many university journalists and professors, realizing the imbalance of the "tree of generations", began to understand that it is incorrect to combine today's twenty and thirty years old into one group, since significant differences between them are visible.
Generation Z - people who were born in the early 1990s and in the 2000s. It is believed that their social and philosophical worldview was affected by the global economic crisis, the development of mobile technologies, Web 2.0. Its representatives are considered children of generation X, and sometimes Y.
The fundamental property of a new generation
The fundamental property of the new generation is that it has high technology in its blood. It treats them at a completely different level than even representatives of Y. This generation was born in the era of postmodernism and globalization. It accumulated traits of predecessors that were close in time, as well as traits that we already feel, but are not yet able to articulate accurately. It will be easier for us to do this in 10-20 years. However, the "building material" is the denial of hierarchy, arrogance, narcissism and selfishness.
Possible Scenarios for Generation Z
It is still not easy to look beyond the horizon in order to understand why these qualities are necessary for human evolution. It is likely that they will begin to service something that is not fully understood even by today's thirty-year-olds. At present, only timid assumptions can be made that, having overcome the illnesses, this generation accused of narcissism and selfishness will take steps towards a balanced lifestyle of the future. He is characterized by work for public benefit and creative pleasure, creating a family out of personal feelings, and not because being alone is considered indecent in society, the decision to have a child is not to avoid being alone in old age, but to convey life values to him. For generation Z, negative scenarios are also possible.
Much can be clarified only by time. After all, the oldest representatives of this generation were barely 18 years old. However, they are already notorious. Marketing companies and the media announced that this generation is "screen-dependent", and their concentration is very poor. They also shoulder the salvation of the world and the need to correct the mistakes of the past.
Note that the theory of generations often does not have sufficient scientific accuracy, and research in this area is a complicated process. This also applies to recent scientific articles. Many recent studies, the topic of which is the theory of generations, are full of stereotypes and prejudices. Representatives of generation Z do not deserve such an unfair treatment. Already, this group makes up about a quarter of the population, and by 2020, about 40% of consumers will be in it. Therefore, it is extremely important for companies to understand this generation.
"Eight second filters"
According to recent studies, it can be noted that generation Z has reduced attention span to 8 seconds. They cannot focus on anything longer. However, it would be more correct to speak more about "eight-second filters." Representatives of this generation grew up in a world in which the possibilities are simply endless, but there is not enough time for everything. That is why they adapted to the need to quickly evaluate and sift through huge amounts of information. In mobile applications and the Internet, they rely on sections and tabs, where the most recent and popular content is collected.
Follow the curators
Representatives of this generation follow the curators. They trust them, trying to understand where the most adequate information and the best entertainment are. All these tools are necessary for the Z generation in order to reduce the potential choice from many options.
However, if this group considered something worthy of its attention, its representatives can become dedicated and very focused. The Internet in their era allowed any topic to be studied deeply and learned a lot from like-minded people.
The radar of this generation is tuned to find their time. In order to win their attention and overcome these filters, it is necessary to provide experiences that bring immediate benefits and are very exciting.
Social interactions
Generation Z media is often portrayed as a group of Web residents, socially inept. Older people cannot understand why young people spend so much time online. However, in reality, this generation is under tremendous pressure: they need to be able to manage both professional and personal brands at the same time in order to be able to fit into reality and stand out at the same time.
Social Media Impact
Generation Z on a personal level seeks to be immediately accepted and endorsed through social media. This is where important conversations take place, their peers are. With the help of social media, they manage several personalities in order to be able to satisfy each of the audiences, as well as reduce the risk of conflict.
The Z-generation on a professional level is very attentive to the negative stereotypes that pursue Generation Y. Its representatives strive to stand out with their ability to survive and work hard offline.
Generation Z is between two forces: it needs social media in order to build personal brands, but it does not want social networks to determine who its representatives really are. Those belonging to Generation Z strive for the approval of society, but do not want to be differentiated in the sense of a profession.
Entrepreneurial spirit
Generation Z Media has also been dubbed the “Entrepreneurial Generation." At the same time, the desire of their representatives to build their startups, and not to be immersed in the corporate routine, is emphasized. Although this generation appreciates self-employment, many people in the Z group tend to avoid risk. They are pragmatic and practical. The entrepreneurial spirit supposedly inherent in them is rather a peculiar mechanism of survival than an idealistic pursuit of wealth or status.
If generation Y was often criticized for the fact that people from this group are not sufficiently focused, then representatives of Z want to plan for a long time ahead. Parents belonging to X (individualists who rely on themselves) greatly influenced them. They want to avoid the mistakes made by their predecessors from group Y.
In order to get rid of their inherent anxiety, they want to find work in growing areas that are not very actively automated: medicine, education, sales, etc. At the same time, they develop fallback options in order to apply them if the labor market will change quickly.
The truth in the middle
Society is inclined either to criticize youth for the fact that it does something differently, or to romanticize it. However, in reality, the Zorro generation (Z) is somewhere in between. Its representatives are faced with problems that arise at a certain stage in life for everyone: parting with parents, starting a career, forming a personal identity. However, they have to do this in a fast technological era.
So, you briefly met with such an interesting topic as the theory of generations. In Russia, its adaptation was carried out in 2003-2004. a team led by Evgenia Shamis. This theory itself arose in the USA. Its authors are William Strauss and Neil Hove, American scientists. In 1991, the Hove-Strauss Generation Theory was created.