can technology cause a gap between generations research paper

The Importance of Technological Change in Shaping Generational Perspectives

If we name each generation based on the technological conditions it experienced, generations may soon encompass only a few years apiece.

“There are a number of labels to describe the young people currently studying at school, college and university,” Ellen John Helsper and Rebecca Evnon wrote in a 2010 article in the British Educational Research Journal . “They include the digital natives, the net generation, the Google generation or the millenials. All of these terms are being used to highlight the significance and importance of new technologies within the lives of young people.”

What seemed noteworthy a decade ago is now commonplace: Slicing the population into ever-narrower generations, each defined by its very specific relationship to technology, is fundamental to how we think about the relationship between age, culture, and technology.

But generation gaps did not begin with the invention of the microchip. What’s new is the fine-slicing of generational divides, the centrality of technology to defining each successive generation. Both of these developments rest on a remarkably intellectual innovation: the idea of generations as socially significant categories.

As Marius Hentea points out in his article “ The Problem of Literary Generations :” “[t]he sociological meaning of ‘generation’ is a post-Enlightenment development.” We’ve moved from a view of generations as biological “in the sense of the generation of a butterfly from a caterpillar,” as Hentea puts it, to a view of generations as sociological. Hentea argues that three nineteenth-century developments were responsible for this emergent concept of generational divides, the first of which was democratization :

By no longer limiting political power to a defined group but rather encouraging political participation across social strata, democracy eased youth into public life in a way other regimes had proven incapable of doing. At the same time, democratization paradoxically created generational categories. With aristocratic privileges abolished and republican duties diminished, the generation provided a fallback for social belonging: not everyone can belong to my generation, so the vestigial desire for distinction is satisfied, but at the same time, no one remains without a generation, so the democratic impulse toward equality is met.

Another important factor was centralization : “the spectacular rise of the bureaucratic state and its disciplinary instruments of control and categorization.” Last but not least, Hentea notes, was the role of technologization :

As technology advanced ever more quickly in the nineteenth century, differentiation based on age became even more important: the young had at their disposal tools their elders did not. The concentration of rapid technological change in urban centers led to youth gaining economic and social advantages at the same time that the transmission of accumulated knowledge and experience from elders lost its relevance for changing industries.

If the role of technology in shaping an emergent generational consciousness seems obvious to us now, however, it far from evident to earlier observers. “Why does contemporary western civilization manifest an extraordinary amount of parent-adolescent conflict?” Kinsley Davis asked in his article “ The Sociology of Parent-Youth Conflict .” In 1940, apparently, it was still possible to see inter-generational conflict as a novel and perplexing mystery.

To one of Davis’ contemporaries, the answer was clear: “the two generations in question have lived under such different economic conditions,” wrote Julien Brenda in a 1938 article, “ The Conflict of Generations in France .” “The old generation was a happy one—unusually happy, I venture to say; the young generation is unhappy, hard pressed by circumstances.”

Wallace Stegner picks up the theme of generational angst in his 1949 article, “ The Anxious Generation .” Writing of the twenty-somethings who came of age during or just after World War II, Stegner says:

They could no more have missed awareness of the tension and fear in their world than a bird could avoid awareness of wind. Far more has been taken from them than had been taken from preceding generations: politically, only uncertainty and fear and the Cold War is left them; the atom bomb is a threat such as the world has a never faced; if by a miracle we escape another war and the bomb, there is always the longer-term disaster of an incredibly multiplying world population and the shrinkage and wastage of world resources and the diminishing of world food supplies.

If that rather grim assessment implicitly rests on a set of assumptions about the impact of technological change—for what else is an atom bomb, if not a technological innovation?—then that assessment only seems apparent through our twenty-first century lens. In the middle of the last century, many still thought it preposterous to attribute generational differences to technological innovation. Writing in the middle of World War II, C. E. Ayres wrote that:

No serious student attributes the evils of the age to its machines. Popular essayists sometimes write as though tanks and airplanes were responsible for the bloodshed which is now going on, and novelists occasionally draw pictures of the horrors of a future in which life will have become wholly mechanized, with babies germinating in test tubes, “scientifically” maimed for the “more efficient” performance of industrial tasks. But this of course is literary nonsense…

Just a few years later, however, A. J. Jaffe would take a very different position in the pages of Scientific Monthly. “ Of the factors causing change in our society, one of the most important is technology—important new inventions as well as minor technical innovations,” Jaffe wrote in “ Technological Innovations and the Changing Socioeconomic Structure .” Making the case for the importance of studying technological change, Jaffe argued that:

Perhaps the single most important reason for studying technological change is to afford society a mechanism for predicting the social changes which are expected to occur… any thinking that will permit a society to better adapt itself to the inevitable changes which will occur—changes stemming in large measure from technological innovations—will be better able to meet such changes.

If that seems like a rather rapid turnaround on the importance of technological change in shaping generational perspectives, well, the pace of change was very much the point. In a 1945 article, “ Characteristics of an Age of Change ,” J. B. McKinney observed that “change, which was hitherto a gradual process, has become, for us, cataclysmic; it has become a tidal wave that threatens to overwhelm us. A decade to-day is the equivalent of a generation, and standards and values topple over like ninepins.”

From this rapid change, it was perceived, sprang generational discord. In his 1940 article, Davis argued that:

Extremely rapid change in modern civilization… tends to increase parent-youth conflict, for within a fast-changing social order the time-interval between generations, ordinarily but a mere moment in the life of a social system, become historically significant, thereby creating a hiatus between one generation and the next. Inevitably, under such a condition, youth is reared in a milieu different from that of the parents; hence the parents become old-fashioned, youth rebellious, and clashes occur which, in the closely confined circle of the immediate family, generate sharp emotion.

This 80-year-old assertion does an excellent job of anticipating our current tendency to label a new generation every decade, based on its unique relationship to emergent technology. Smartphones have only been in widespread use for a decade, but they’re now so fundamental to our daily lives that it’s hard to remember life without them. How could we possibly see those who can remember life before the smartphone as part of the same generation as those who’ve known nothing else? How could we see kids who’ve grown up on YouTube as part of the same generation that still watched actual TV? Doesn’t the leap from Facebook to SnapChat constitute its own profound generational divide?

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As the pace of technological innovation continues to accelerate, and as each successive round of innovation becomes more widely disseminated, it’s hard to imagine a return to the days when sociological generations spanned multiple decades. If you believe that technological conditions profoundly shape the life experience and perspectives of each successive generation, then those generations will only get narrower.

But that accuracy will come at a price. If we name each generation based on the specific technological conditions it experienced during childhood or adolescence, we may soon be dealing with generations that encompass only a few years apiece. At that point, the very idea of “generations” will cease to have much utility for social scientists, since it will be very hard to analyze attitudinal or behavioral differences between generations that are just a few years part. We’ll have come full circle, back to the early nineteenth century, when the only way to think of generations was in terms of biology, not sociology.

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3 The Generation and Technology Gap: A Case Study on the Impact of Generation Gap and the Technology on HR

• Published: August 2022
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As the dynamics of the workplace have changed with the evolution of technology, the change in generations has also impacted the organizational fabric. Organizations today comprise three distinct generations with different mindsets, aspirations, and ethos. In India, millennials account for nearly half of the working—age population, whereas Gen Z has just made its entry. The issues arising out of multigeneration workforces become more evident and dysfunctional when one chooses to ignore. The best way to address issues is to connect with different stakeholders on a continuous basis, get a pulse, understand, and act on issues bothering them.

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Political Analysis

Home > Political Analysis > Vol. 20 (2019)

Article Title

The Technology Gap Across Generations: How Social Media Affects the Youth Vote

Yamiemily Hernandez , Seton Hall University

There appears to exist today a generational tug-of-war between Millennials and Baby Boomers. Baby Boomers tend to see Millennials as lazy kids who do not appreciate the value of hard work, spend all day glued to their cell phones, and expect successes to be handed to them on a silver platter. Millennials seem to think that Boomers have harbored all the wealth and success in America without thinking about future generations; they cannot wait for Boomers to retire and create vacancies for key positions in companies. While the accusations generations make against each other rely on stereotypes and may not be entirely truthful, the reality is that the age gap between the Millennial generation and the Baby Boomer generation is one of the largest generational gaps in American history.

Generational differences play an important role in American politics. The defining characteristics of each generation and the emerging age gap have the power to shape politics, elections, and voting trends both now and in the years to come. In a nutshell, Millennials are becoming increasingly liberal in their views and the older generations, like the Baby Boomers, tend to hold more conservative views. Young citizens are less religious, more concerned about social and public policy issues, and favor an activist government. They stray from traditional values and are more accepting of different social groups. Several factors go in to determining how a generation of voters will identify politically and how they vote. Some of the factors that influence political behavior include parent-instilled values, inherent political background, education, political environment, and the media (Fisher, 2014). There also exists a newer and much different explanation for how young voters vote the way that they do: the emergence and usage of social media. Understanding the social media explanation could be significant for the future of campaigning and elections. This paper will analyze the evolution of social media usage in the 2008 and 2016 presidential elections and the ways in which social media influences youth political behavior.

Recommended Citation

Hernandez, Yamiemily (2019) "The Technology Gap Across Generations: How Social Media Affects the Youth Vote," Political Analysis : Vol. 20, Article 1. Available at: https://scholarship.shu.edu/pa/vol20/iss1/1

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Feb 23, 2009

New Research Explores How Technology Drives Generation Gap

Technology is fast becoming the latest driving force behind what is often called the “generation gap.” While Americans of every age have become quite comfortable with and dependent on technology, a new study by The Barna Group explores how technology is shaping different experiences and expectations among generations.

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Although all Americans – both young and old – benefit from technology, the generational divide brought on by digital tools is significant. The key findings of the research include the fact that each successive generation is adopting and using technology at a significantly greater pace than their predecessors. Yet, the study also shows the exponential reliance on digital tools among Americans under the age of 25.

Importance of Tech

Technology usage is not the only chasm between the young and old. Another gap is each of the generation’s perceptions about technology. Not surprisingly, younger adults are more likely to admit “gadget lust” than is true of older adults. For instance, among the youngest adult Americans – those ages 18 to 24, a group the Barna Group labels Mosaics – more than one-fifth (22%) said they consider owning the latest technology to be a very high priority in life, compared to only one out of every 11 adults over the age of 25 (9%).

Mosaics are the biggest technophiles. However, when taken together, America’s two youngest generations (Mosaics and Busters) are significantly more likely than the two oldest cohorts (Boomers and Elders) to say a desirable lifestyle is being at the cutting edge of technology.

Mainstream Technologies?

The Barna study categorized “mainstream” technology as those weekly activities relied upon by 50% or more of computer users. For example, the use of email and Internet search are mainstream because they are used by more than half of all computer users each week, regardless of generation.

Among Elders and Boomers, of the 14 activities assessed in the research, the only mainstream digital activities are email and search. Among Busters, four behaviors qualify as mainstream: email, search, text messaging and hosting a personal website or homepage (such as MySpace or Facebook). The Mosaic generation doubles this by reaching mainstream status on eight different technologies. These eight elements overlap the same four as Busters but also include: instant messaging, posting comments on other blogs, watching videos online and downloading music online (both legally and illegally).

Emerging Technologies?

“Emerging” technologies were classified by Barna research as those used by at least 20% but not more than half of computer users. These are technologies that have gone beyond fringe activities but have failed to become a weekly digital ritual of the majority.

One example of an emerging technology is online purchasing. It is a common denominator of all four generations of computer users, but fewer than half made a purchase online in the last week (22% of Mosaics, 26% of Busters, 29% of Boomers and 24% of Elders).

Several spiritual elements were classified as emerging among the youngest three generations: listening to church podcasts and visiting their church website (measured for past year, not the past week). For their part, Elders have yet to move beyond limited digital access to spiritual content.

Other emerging activities among Boomers were texting and watching videos online. Among Busters, emerging uses of digital tools included instant messaging, watching videos and downloading music. Mosaics added to their considerable technological footprint by qualifying as budding bloggers. While millions of older adults are active bloggers, realize that just 11% of Busters and 5% of Boomers say they maintain a personal blog.

There were only two areas of limited technological expression among Mosaics: their admittance to viewing online pornography and downloading movies.

Deciphering the Results

The survey data points to a number of conclusions, according to David Kinnaman, president of The Barna Group:

• Even though young people are sometimes called the “Net Generation,” every age segment is becoming dependent on the Internet. In fact, because Boomers and Busters represent about two-thirds of the adult population, they are far more numerous users of technology than are adults under the age of 25. For instance, the majority of online purchases are made by those between the age of 30 and 55. And many of the bloggers, music downloaders and users of social networking websites are from the Boomer and Buster cohorts.
• Still, despite the preponderance of middle-age technology users, the nation’s youngest adults (Mosaics) are light-years ahead in their personal integration of these technologies, even blazing beyond the comfort of Busters. While Busters differ dramatically from their predecessors, Mosaics are even further down the path of integrating technologies into their lifestyles. On effect of this is that younger adults do not think of themselves as consumers of content; for better and for worse, they consider themselves to be content creators.
• All Americans are increasingly dependent on new digital technologies to acquire entertainment, products, content, information and stimulation. However, older adults tend to use technology for information and convenience. Younger adults rely on technology to facilitate their search for meaning and connection. These technologies have begun to rewire the ways in which people – especially the young – meet, express themselves, use content and stay connected.
• For church leaders, it is notable that a minority of churchgoing Mosaics and Busters are accessing their congregation’s podcasts and website. While technology keeps progressing and penetrating every aspect of life, churches have to work hard to keep pace with the way people access and use content, while also instructing churchgoers on the potency of electronic tools and techniques.
• Since technology is pervasive, many of the age-old questions about human development and human flourishing are taking on new dimension. How does technology help or hinder communication, or for that matter, relationships between the generations? Are social skills better or worse? Are reading and writing skills improving or not? And what does adequate preparation for tomorrow’s workforce look like? Educators, parents, youthworkers and other leaders must continually fine-tune their responses to these issues

About the Research

This report is based upon telephone interviews conducted by The Barna Group in three nationwide surveys. These surveys were conducted in July-August 2007, December 2007 and May 2008. Each of these surveys involved interviews with 1000 adults. The maximum margin of sampling error associated with the aggregate sample for each of those surveys is ±3.2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Statistical weighting was used to calibrate the sample to known population percentages in relation to demographic variables.

About Barna

Since 1984, Barna Group has conducted more than two million interviews over the course of thousands of studies and has become a go-to source for insights about faith, culture, leadership, vocation and generations. Barna is a private, non-partisan, for-profit organization.

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Today, a generational tug-of-war appears to exist due to the advancement of technology. Consider how it used to be normal to knock on a neighbor’s door to borrow a cup of sugar- and how our grandparents might still do it now. But today, with just a few taps on a grocery delivery app, we can have a whole bag of sugar delivered on our doorsteps. Navigating the web and connecting with people over the internet was more complicated in the early days. And to some extent, younger generations are born into a society that is reliant on communicating with technology.

When it comes to how technology affects the generation gap, it’s about a lot more than being able to download any apps or movies or shop online.  One of the reasons why younger generations are more at ease with technology since they have never known the world in any other way. They grew up in a digital world. It’s also why older generations may be hesitant to participate in online activities because it is completely new for them. They are newcomers to the digital world. The past generations are also slower to leverage the internet or linked devices and are often unaware of how they function in the first place- and the dangers associated with them. Before everyone tended to share common influences such as watching the news and TV together. Current generations, on the other hand, will turn to online resources to have fun. This expands the gap between the generations as it has transformed each and every aspect of their lives. 

Technology is constantly evolving, and each digital generation needs to adjust at its own pace, whether it’s toddlers turning into youtube kids on their tablets or the elderly preferring email over texting to communicate with family and friends. Always looking at their phone is normal for millennials, but it is not socially acceptable for older people. Thus, both generations have to settle down and learn from one another.  

More From Forbes

Understanding the limitations of generative ai.

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Gonçalo Ribeiro is CEO of YData .

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is a branch of AI that focuses on creating new data instead of making predictions or classifications. GenAI works for any kind of data, from realistic images to complex texts (as we're seeing everywhere now) to videos known as deepfakes or datasets and databases known as synthetic data.

GenAI has become one of the most discussed technologies today. However, despite its potential, this technology holds fundamental limitations and risks that often go unaddressed in the mainstream hype, which is what I'll be focusing on today.

Non-Determinism

One of the inherent characteristics of GenAI is its non-determinism. This means the AI can produce different outputs even when given the same input multiple times, leading to unpredictability in its results.

In most industries, from healthcare to banking, reliability is paramount. This unpredictability can be a serious drawback. Humans generally prefer predictability, especially in critical applications—knowing what to expect from technology engenders trust and reliability, qualities that non-deterministic AI systems may struggle to guarantee.

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Large GenAI models, such as those used in creating text or images ( large language models or LLMs and foundational models or FMs), are trained on vast datasets and often scraped from the internet. This training can inadvertently lead these models to 'hallucinate,' posing significant risks as 'hallucinations' are convincingly presented as truths.

LLMs can also reproduce sensitive or proprietary information when using approaches such as retrieval augmented generation (RAG) and/or fine-tuning, posing privacy and security risks. This can be particularly problematic in areas like news dissemination, education, healthcare and legal advice where accuracy is crucial.

Limited Use Cases

Despite their impressive output capabilities, GenAI applications are limited in their ability to tackle complex, multi-dimensional societal issues. They excel in defined, narrow tasks but lack the general understanding needed to address broader challenges such as strategic decision-making or ethical dilemmas. This highlights a significant gap between the capabilities of current AI technologies and the requirements for solving real-world problems that involve high stakes or deep contextual understanding.

Beyond Artificial General Intelligence

While some believe that we're close to artificial general intelligence (AGI)—an AI that can understands, learns and applies knowledge across a broad range of tasks as well as a human—I believe we're far from it.

Yann LeCun, a pioneering figure in AI and Meta's chief AI scientist, has voiced concerns about the limitations of current AI systems. He points out that while AI can mimic complex patterns, it lacks the intuitive understanding of the world that humans possess, which is crucial for making morally and socially responsible decisions. His work emphasizes the need for AI systems that understand causality and context, not just correlation.

Instead of the broad and often speculative aim of AGI, focusing on specific, achievable objectives tailored to distinct needs ensures that AI development is both grounded and directly beneficial. This strategy not only mitigates the risks associated with non-determinism and data privacy but also maximizes the utility and impact of AI across various sectors.

By adopting use-case-specific AI, we can propel technology forward in a manner that is not just innovative but also aligned with the nuanced demands of human values and ethical considerations. Of course, this is not technology that is already available and there are plenty of challenges and barriers.

Real-World Understanding Through Data

One of the primary challenges in developing AI that truly understands and interacts with the real world is the need for comprehensive, multi-domain data. Effective AI requires training on diverse datasets that reflect the complexity and variability of real-world environments. However, collecting such data is challenging, and ensuring it is representative and unbiased is difficult for humans to validate manually. While solutions such as synthetic data are being explored, we're still far from achieving this.

Human-To-Machine Interfaces

The human-to-machine interface is critical in making AI accessible and useful for a wide range of applications. LLMs have significantly advanced these interfaces, but the inherent subjectivity and ambiguity of language still present unique challenges, from contextual understanding to feedback mechanisms and much more. Life is not engineered—it just happens.

Addressing several goals or use cases simultaneously involves complex engineering and infrastructure challenges. The variety and quantity of use cases will require a lot of resource allocation and scaling (or maybe different hardware) as well as a modular AI architecture.

This enhanced focus holds the promise of creating AI technologies that are not only effective in performing tasks but are also trustworthy and safe—characteristics that will define the next generation of AI systems as true partners in progress.

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