The Generational Gap

I will be researching the generational gap, with an emphasis on technological differences. The emphasis on technological differences is because there are lots of differences between generations, but within today's society, the most prevalent difference amongst generations is technology. I will be including some other differences, but my main focus will be on technological differences.

The largest issues I have found when it comes to the generational gap is the different types of technology used, how integrated each generation is with technology, and what preferences each generation has when it comes to technology. While the majority of each generation uses technology in some way, each generation has a different comfort level with technology. Younger generations are way more comfortable with using technology for everything in their day-to-day life, while older generations prefer to use things they grew up with and are familiar with.

I am choosing to focus my research on this topic during the course because it is something I find very interesting and has captivated my full attention. I also feel like this topic is very relevant to multiple chapters we have gone over thus far. The generational gap has in some way been discussed in culture and identity, economics and trade, and geographies of population. I am very intrigued with the generational technology gap primarily because I love learning about technology and want to understand the differences amongst generations of people in today's world.

The three questions I will be using to guide my research are as followed. What is the most apparent differences between today's younger generations and older generations? How is technology and music use different among generations? What are more specific technological differences?

Al-Lawati, Suad. “Understanding the Psychology of Youths: Generation Gap.” AcademicJournals.org, Department of Psychology, College of Education, Sultan Qaboos University, 19 June 2019, academicjournals.org/journal/IJPC/article-full-text-pdf/E100ED461403.

The peer-reviewed source is about how younger generations perceive things like gender, college, and success compared to older generations with the introduction of a more global world via technology and the internet. The source's main point is the difference in how youth vs. elders interact with technology to affect their day to day life, and since there is a difference, this creates a generational gap. This is then referenced by the difference in ideology influenced by the way each generation grew up; each generation was raised with a different mindset on the world and what they want the world to become. There are differences between each generation, but the most notable is the youngest compared to the rest. Since the youngest generation grew up with digital information and active technology, they have been raised completely differently from any other generation.

This source contributes to my research because this gives evidence based off a study from a university that there is a generational gap. Reading through this source gave me even more of a broad perspective of the differences between each generation. Even though for my generation it is primarily digital differences, there is ideological differences that also play a factor. I learned since the youngest generation has grown up with technological differences compared to all other generations, they have a very unique perspective on the world compared to any other generation. The youngest generation has a completely different psychology compared to any other generations, which is created a larger than normal divide between generations.

Adcox, Susan. “What Research Says About the Generation Gap.” Fact Checked by Cara Lustik, Verywell Family, 15 May 2020, www.verywellfamily.com/looking-at-the-generation-gap-1695859. 

This source is mainly discussing what a generational gap is, and how the present one between today's younger and older generations is different than previous generational gaps. Previous gaps didn't start occurring until around the 20th century, because before then humans typically lived a very simplistic life, living in the same place their whole life, not getting a chance to experience any difference of cultures. As time progressed and humanity became more sophisticated, like the invention of television and radio, people started to become exposed to a variety of cultures, and younger people typically took the most out from the cultural exposure. According to a survey, 79% of Americans believe there are major differences between younger and older generations in today's world.

This source contributes to my research because it provides me proper information of how/when generational gaps started to form, along with some great statistics to help articulate some points. After reading this source, it kind of makes sense that generation gaps started to form when people became exposed to different cultures, because that is what broadens people's perspectives. I learned that if people don't expose themselves to different ideas/cultures, they are going to not really think for themselves and believe everything that their family and friends tell them. This also plays into the large reason why there is such a large generation gap today, because of the access most people have to different cultures, right on their phones.

McNamara, Carter. “Understand Generational Differences: Guidelines and Resources.” Free Management Library, managementhelp.org/interpersonal/understand-generational-differences.htm. 

This source starts off with giving a very detailed description of what a generation is and how each generation is seperated, date wise. The reason why generations are group together with specific years is because of similarities in the way they were raised, because these people then exhibit similar characteristics, preferences, and values over their lifetime. It then gives another perspective as to why there are generation gaps, via difference in values, beliefs, and opinions, along with providing a timeline with what dates associate which generation a person belongs too. Then a brief description is given of what each generation has as their typical traits and desires in life.

This source contributes to my research by giving me a good foundational amount of information to start with. I think it will be great to start with defining what a generation is and why there are gaps associated with each generation. I think also referencing some of the typical traits of each generation will help articulate how the gap is so large today. I learned what years are cut off for each generation, along with characteristics of each generation and what defines a generation. All of this information from this source will most likely be used at the beginning of my story map, as I feel this is foundational information.

Templafy. “Decoding the Technological Generation Gap.” Book Your Free Templafy Demo, Aug. 2019, info.templafy.com/blog/decoding-the-technological-generation-gap#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20technological%20generation,from%20all%20sides%20with%20technology.&text=According%20to%20Pew%20Research%2C%2092,(born%201946%E2%80%931964). 

This source is more about the specifics within the technological generation gap. It discusses how different generations use technology for different things, like older generations primarily use their smartphones for calling and texting only, while younger generations use their smartphones as a digital window. The source also discusses difference in common behaviors across generations, like younger generations prefering to stream entertainment like movies/music, while older generations prefer to watch television. There is also a lot of surveys and studies mentioned in this article.

This source contributes to my research because if provides more background information in differences amongst generations, especially technological, as that is what the entire article is about. I also am able to use a lot of the surveys that they have in their source as more definite evidence. I learned the difference in preferences between generations when it comes to technology, so it is not just a matter of a generation using technology or not, those is all generations that use it have different preferences. As an example, according to the source, younger generations prefer smaller screens and streaming entertainment, compared to older generations preferring larger screens and television.

Miller, Marcia. “How Does Technology Affect the Generation Gap?” Tech + Innovation, 16 July 2020, networkheresy.com/tech/how-does-technology-affect-the-generation-gap/. 

This source's main focus is on the attitudes of each generation towards technology, as it first identified that technology is the largest factor when it comes to the generational gap. The source compares how each generation was raised, noting that any generation that is Generation Y/Millennials or below aren't familiar with life without the internet. This source notes how in today's world, we all don't have the same influences. In previous generations, everyone watched the same news and television, but with younger generations, information is now very fast moving and sometimes inaccurate.

This source contributes to my research because it will help me articulate my ideas. I knew I had these ideas since I have been brainstorming this project, with the differences in attitudes, and this source will help me put my thoughts into words. I learned from this source the difference in preferences when it comes to technology amongst older vs younger generations.

Rutledge, Mason. “Generation Gap of Pandemic.” C3 Leaders, 23 May 2020, www.c3leaders.com/generation-gap/. 

This source is about the generational gap and how it has been enhanced with the COVID-19 pandemic. This source is very relevant today, since the COVID-19 pandemic is still affecting every single person in the United States in some way or another. The author uses this article to talk with business leaders on how the pandemic has now made the generational gap a multifaceted divide. I am very happy that I found this article, especially with its relevance to the present day world.

This source contributes to my research because it shows that the pandemic has just increased the generational gap, especially when it comes to technology. It is most apparent between really old generations that are finding difficult ways to stay connected with their families due to their inefficient technological skills. I have learned that each generation has different philosophies when it comes to how safe they are wanting to be with the pandemic. In general, the younger the generation the more likely that generation is to follow the rules and restrictions. I found this information useful and interesting, but it isn't fully related to my area of research.

Savitz, Eric. “Generation Gap: How Technology Has Changed How We Talk About Work.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 17 May 2012, www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2012/05/16/generation-gap-how-technology-has-changed-how-we-talk-about-work/?sh=30a4b6af4bf2. 

This forbes article serves a lot of great factual information from large fortune 500 companies on how the generational gap has impacted them, especially with technology. The author starts off the article with a survey made up from fortune 500 executives on how they believe the generational gap is impacting their company. The largest common issue at every company was communication through technology.

This source attributes to my research because I learned so much about how the generational gap is even impacted the largest companies in the world. The article states that younger generations feel their technology at work is old and outdated, while the older generations in the company don't want change to occur. I learned so much on how large companies have just started identifying this as the largest issue they face, and they have not come up with a set solution yet.

I have learned a lot across all of my research that I have done, especially when it comes to laying out the fundamentals for my project. I think before doing all of this research today, I had an idea in my head that wasn't exactly clear, but after finding sources with lots of great information, I have a vivid idea. I learned why there is a generational gap, how/why technology is the largest factor in today's world, how different generations perceive certain things, and so much more.

I briefly talked about this above in the introduction, but I believe my topic relates to a couple of themes we have gone over in class thus far. These themes are culture and identity, economics and trade, and geographies of population. I think generational technology gap are intertwined with culture and identity because each generation feels like the technology they use is apart of their identity. They also use this technology to expose themselves to more cultures, creating an even larger divide. Economics and trade come into factor with how much generations are willing to spend on specific things, along with the new ways trade is happening with technology. This was brought up in one of my sources, younger generations are more willing to spend money on technology than older generations. Also trade as a whole has evolved due to how technology has made trading with others easier. Geographies of the population might have the strongest correlation with the generational gap in my opinion. A generation is a geography of a population, so when there is a divide amongst generations, there is also a divide amongst geographies.

I can make a claim from all of my research and sources that there is a generational gap present today between younger and older generations, with the primary factor being technological differences. My research has shown me that each generation has different opinions on technology, how they use technology, and overall preferences that causes a difference in ideas/opinion. A generational gap has been a notable thing since the 20th century, so I am not saying that the generational gap is a new idea, just in the western world, technology is the main factor is that gap becoming larger and more noticable.