Different ages women colleagues 50s and young female workmates sit at office desk looking with enmity at each other. Negative attitude, conflict at workplace, misunderstanding generational gap concept
Photo: iStock | fizkes

Pew Research Center, one of America’s oldest research organizations, announced plans to stop putting a generational framework on its polls and surveys that highlight the thinking and lifestyles of different U.S. demographic groups.

“We’ll only talk about generations when it adds value, advances important national debates and highlights meaningful societal trends,” Pew’s social trends director Kim Parker wrote in a blog.

She acknowledged and agreed with the criticism – heard in complaints over Millennial and Gen-Z stereotypes – that with a typical generation spanning 15 to 18 years, there’s “great diversity of thought, experience and behavior within generations.”

Guidelines were offered demonstrate Pew’s updated approach to generational research:

1)   Generational analysis will only be employed when historical data is available to compare generations at similar life stages: Most standard surveys enable researchers to look at differences across age groups but can’t compare age groups over time. Ms. Parker wrote, “It’s necessary to have data that’s been collected over a considerable amount of time – think decades.”

2)   Even when historical data is available, other factors beyond age will be explored in making generational comparisons: Different views between younger adults and their older counterparts may reflect demographic traits, such as increasing racial or ethnic diversity, rather than the fact that they belong to a particular generation. “Period effects,” such as the Watergate scandal that drove down trust in government across age groups, also needs to be vetted in any generational analysis.

3)   When generational analysis can’t be done, differences by age may be explored: Ms. Parker wrote, “Even if age gaps aren’t rooted in generational differences, they can still be illuminating.”

4)   When data is available to study groups of similarly aged people over time, Pew won’t default to standard generational definitions and labels: Grouping people by the decade in which they were born or key historical events (such as the Great Recession or the COVID-19 pandemic) may create narrower cohorts in which the members may share more in common rather than often “too broad and arbitrary” generational analysis. Ms. Parker wrote, “By choosing not to use the standard generational labels when they’re not appropriate, we can avoid reinforcing harmful stereotypes or oversimplifying people’s complex lived experiences.”

BrainTrust

“Maybe they’re positioning it in order to get max reaction, but it doesn’t sound like they’re actually retiring the concept at all.”

Nikki Baird

VP of Strategy, Aptos


Discussion Questions

Discussion questions: What do you think of Pew Center’s updated approach to generational research? How would you rate the value as well as the shortcomings of generational analysis?

Poll

How much value do you generally see in consumer surveys exploring generational differences?

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23 responses to “Should Generational Research Be Retired?”

  1. Gene Detroyer Avatar
    Gene Detroyer

    This is very disappointing. A real copout by Pew.

    Every survey suggests differences by generation. Don’t eliminate that discussion. Qualify it if necessary.

    1. Ryan Mathews Avatar
      Ryan Mathews

      Gene,

      I think that is exactly what Pew is doing, Demographics are not destiny, but they are sometimes directional. Finding out what white, suburban, college educated women between certain age brackets think could be potentially useful for say a political campaign, but the finer the filter the more useful the result. Assuming all 18 year olds think, act, and shop alike isn’t going to give you the kind of information most marketers think that generational analytics give them. Again, Pew isn’t tossing generational data out, just trying to use it more appropriately. A sledge hammer is a useful tool. So is a screwdriver. The problems start when you try to knock down a wall with the screwdriver and/or pound a screw in place with the sledge hammer. And, frankly the latter is an appropriate metaphor for much generational research.

  2. Melissa Minkow Avatar
    Melissa Minkow

    Hmm I’m glad they’re focusing on variables other than generation, but I do still believe the generational lens matters quite a bit when understanding people. It’s sounds though like Pew is still going to look at/use generational data when it’s relevant, which is the approach that always makes sense in research, so if it’s just a matter of more critically thinking about that use, I’m all for it. Interestingly, our research on shopping in the metaverse found no major generational differences, and it was worthwhile to acknowledge that because it challenged an assumption. So, sometimes the lack of generational difference in data is an important story in and of itself.

  3. Neil Saunders Avatar
    Neil Saunders

    Sometimes there are differences by generation, sometimes there are not. But you have to look in order to understand. Certainly the lines drawn can be arbitrary, but lines have to be drawn somewhere in research. Generational segmentation is not the be all and end all, for sure, but it’s an important part of research that shouldn’t be retired. To be fair, Pew is still going to look at generations, but won’t focus on it when it’s not relevant.

  4. John Lietsch Avatar
    John Lietsch

    In last week’s article about Gen Z workers I commented that, “we should always exercise great care in generalizing a group of people and even greater care in treating them based on those generalizations.” Therefore, I agree with the overall sentiment especially when considering that generational surveys involve countless variables (multivariate) and more often than not, many valuable variables are ignored or assumed “fixed.” However, I believe that some generational analysis is still warranted and valuable if conducted, used and interpreted properly.

  5. Nikki Baird Avatar
    Nikki Baird

    Maybe they’re positioning it in order to get max reaction, but it doesn’t sound like they’re actually retiring the concept at all. First, I love the idea of comparing different age groups based on their life stage – what were Boomers like when they had young kids vs. what are Millennials with young kids like. That’s interesting. It follows a study I saw that was able to prove that, despite the prevailing view that the world is getting “worse” and civility is declining, it’s actually about the same or maybe even slightly better. It did that by comparing cohorts over time.

    Second, if you read between the lines, they’re basically saying that the cohorts we have are too broad – and you hear that, when people say things like “I’m a late X-er” or “I’m a young Millennial”. Comparing age groups by decade puts a finer point on it, one that we feel we need or we wouldn’t have that kind of vocabulary already.

    So – a lot of outrage over basically nothing. And a new methodology that might actually yield greater insights than the tired “Boomers won’t use their phones” or whatever.

  6. Paula Rosenblum Avatar
    Paula Rosenblum

    I also think some more work should be done on demographic differences. I had a rather heated “conversation” with the CEO of Nielsen some years ago, because he had just given a speech on the behavior of “Hispanics.” If you like somewhere like Miami, you know that not all Hispanics are the same and the difference between (for example) Cubans, Venezuelans and Columbians isn’t small. We just create more stereotypes with this kind of research.

    1. Paula Rosenblum Avatar
      Paula Rosenblum

      I meant live, not like

    2. Richard Hernandez Avatar
      Richard Hernandez

      This. I have worked with Hispanic retailers for many years and it always surprises me when agencies lump Hispanics in one group. So very wrong and a bad choice when deciding on the assortment of a retailer.
      Additionally, I can tell you from experience that 1st gen Hispanics shoppers VERY differently from 2nd gen Hispanic shoppers from Millenials to Gen Z.

      1. Ryan Mathews Avatar
        Ryan Mathews

        Richard,

        True. Even inside a country like Mexico there are important linguistic differences between Atlantic and Pacific Spanish. I remember being in Puerto Rico with a Spanish-speaking friend of mine from East Los Angeles. When the waiter walked up and asked us (in Spanish) if we would like a “china” my friend’s reaction was somewhere between embarrassment and excitement. Little did he know the waiter was asking him if he wanted an orange juice, not a Chinese woman. And, you are right it is impossible to look at what people homogenize into the “Hispanic” market with accounting for generational, linguistic, and country of origin factors. And that, as you appreciate, is just for starters.

    3. Ryan Mathews Avatar
      Ryan Mathews

      Paula,

      Couldn’t agree more, especially when it comes to emerging majority populations. I’ve fought the same “Hispanic” battle for years myself, but the truth is the demographic generalists tend to win because it’s easier to stereotype than it is to think thoughtfully on nuanced differences.

  7. Dave Bruno Avatar
    Dave Bruno

    As a Very Late Boomer, I can in fact relate to some of the mistakes made when analyzing me and labeling me with people almost 15 years apart in age. My life experiences being born in the early 60s are very different than the life experiences of someone born in the late 40s, just a few years after the end of World War II.

    I suppose I also may occasionally (and mildly) resent some of the presumptions made about my affinity for technology based purely on my generation label.

    Nonetheless, I still think there is value in analyzing data based on age groups, and I do believe there are many use cases where generational analysis is appropriate and helpful. And I would certainly not advocate that we cease and desist from doing so.

  8. Richard Hernandez Avatar
    Richard Hernandez

    I disagree 100%.
    There is always(and has always) been a value in looking at generational analysis- especially in retail .

  9. Ryan Mathews Avatar
    Ryan Mathews

    Pew is finally doing what I’ve been arguing for for over 20 years, recognizing that demographics is a blunt tool unless used with precision.

    As I’ve written several times here an inner city Detroit living well beyond the poverty line does not experience the same reality as somebody from New Canaan who summers in the Hamptons just because they share a birthday.

    And how about those Gen Z and Millennial youth who want authenticity, to save the planet, hold previous generations in disdain, and want to micro-dose LSD every morning to expand their conscious appreciation of life while scarfing down their organic avocado toast.

    Wait!

    Was I describing Gen Z and Millennials or Boomers? It’s hard to tell except – if Boomers received a micro-dose – they’d be disappointed.

    What so these intragenerational similarities tell us? Oh yes, that younger, more affluent, better educated Americans tend to be idealistic until they turn 30 or 35. Not exactly a major insight.

    Pew is right. Age is an appropriate metric in some situations and less so in others.

  10. Shep Hyken Avatar
    Shep Hyken

    Generational differences in consumer behavior cannot be ignored. Our annual customer service/CX research (www.Hyken.com/research) shows vast differences based on age. It’s nice to get general stats and trends, but when you look at habits, preferences, communication channels, and more, opportunities to personalize and customize based on age are a powerful way to connect with customers.

  11. Doug Garnett Avatar
    Doug Garnett

    I thin generational research should be retired. Retailers find more success by looking at shared behaviors than arbitrary age categories. Oddly, it’s always been this way yet research companies have generated excellent income for themselves selling generational mythologies.

  12. DeAnn Campbell Avatar
    DeAnn Campbell

    Social media has become The Great Leveler, giving awareness of current trends and events across all generations, even if they don’t participate personally. Behaviors across age groups are converging more than any time in history because we are all focused on the same big external issues: climate, war, pandemic, political drama. Strangely, this is creating strong behavioral similarities between the generations. Even great-grandmothers are shopping online, and GenZ’s are enjoying 70’s styles and music.

  13. Scott Norris Avatar
    Scott Norris

    Just one more instance where institutional media goes out of its way to not talk about Gen X. Whatever.

  14. Brian Numainville Avatar
    Brian Numainville

    I’m still a fan of generational research. I was involved in introducing the concept decades ago in food industry trend research. While there are certainly nuances in looking both between generations and within generations, it provides a valuable lens to consider life experiences and timeframes that impact people living within them. So no, it shouldn’t be retired.

  15. Craig Sundstrom Avatar
    Craig Sundstrom

    there’s “great diversity of thought, experience and behavior within generations they just figured that out ??
    Like any other tool, generational analysis – I would describe it more as “age cohort” -needs to be used properly; certainly we see a lot of silly news stories, and – yes even here on RW – sometimes we’re asked to make facile comparisons between 60 year olds and 20 year olds (rather than between the 20 years olds of today versus those of forty years ago), but that’s not to say the concept has no value at all.

  16. Michael Zakkour Avatar
    Michael Zakkour

    Eliminate? No. Understanding the differences between early, mid and late period people in each generation, yes.

  17. Ben Reich Avatar
    Ben Reich

    Generational research definitely holds value, but true insight requires a number of comparative resources working together to fully analyze and compare cohorts. Retailers and CPG brands across the nation are increasingly relying on a range of real-time and historical inputs to best create, price and stock their products, and generationally-specific buying patterns will provide critical information to these organizations. Not only does this level of data help companies track the changes that need to be made as our population evolves, but it also helps them to tailor their business strategy to be most effective for their consumers.

  18. Scott Jennings Avatar
    Scott Jennings

    Broad based generational research can be insightful. I have seen this to be particularly true in HR/Hiring. Paper based applications are not going to work for Gen Z, candidates will not apply or will fall out of the funnel, but paper may be viewed as a better more comfortable approach for Boomers looking to hire on. When the drill down occurs to “old millennials” vs “young gen X”, the research would have to be fairly nuanced to pull out worthwhile insights.

23 Comments
oldest
newest
Gene Detroyer
Gene Detroyer
1 month ago

This is very disappointing. A real copout by Pew.

Every survey suggests differences by generation. Don’t eliminate that discussion. Qualify it if necessary.

Ryan Mathews
Ryan Mathews
  Gene Detroyer
1 month ago

Gene,

I think that is exactly what Pew is doing, Demographics are not destiny, but they are sometimes directional. Finding out what white, suburban, college educated women between certain age brackets think could be potentially useful for say a political campaign, but the finer the filter the more useful the result. Assuming all 18 year olds think, act, and shop alike isn’t going to give you the kind of information most marketers think that generational analytics give them. Again, Pew isn’t tossing generational data out, just trying to use it more appropriately. A sledge hammer is a useful tool. So is a screwdriver. The problems start when you try to knock down a wall with the screwdriver and/or pound a screw in place with the sledge hammer. And, frankly the latter is an appropriate metaphor for much generational research.

Melissa Minkow
Melissa Minkow
1 month ago

Hmm I’m glad they’re focusing on variables other than generation, but I do still believe the generational lens matters quite a bit when understanding people. It’s sounds though like Pew is still going to look at/use generational data when it’s relevant, which is the approach that always makes sense in research, so if it’s just a matter of more critically thinking about that use, I’m all for it. Interestingly, our research on shopping in the metaverse found no major generational differences, and it was worthwhile to acknowledge that because it challenged an assumption. So, sometimes the lack of generational difference in data is an important story in and of itself.

Neil Saunders
Neil Saunders
1 month ago

Sometimes there are differences by generation, sometimes there are not. But you have to look in order to understand. Certainly the lines drawn can be arbitrary, but lines have to be drawn somewhere in research. Generational segmentation is not the be all and end all, for sure, but it’s an important part of research that shouldn’t be retired. To be fair, Pew is still going to look at generations, but won’t focus on it when it’s not relevant.

John Lietsch
John Lietsch
1 month ago

In last week’s article about Gen Z workers I commented that, “we should always exercise great care in generalizing a group of people and even greater care in treating them based on those generalizations.” Therefore, I agree with the overall sentiment especially when considering that generational surveys involve countless variables (multivariate) and more often than not, many valuable variables are ignored or assumed “fixed.” However, I believe that some generational analysis is still warranted and valuable if conducted, used and interpreted properly.

Nikki Baird
Nikki Baird
1 month ago

Maybe they’re positioning it in order to get max reaction, but it doesn’t sound like they’re actually retiring the concept at all. First, I love the idea of comparing different age groups based on their life stage – what were Boomers like when they had young kids vs. what are Millennials with young kids like. That’s interesting. It follows a study I saw that was able to prove that, despite the prevailing view that the world is getting “worse” and civility is declining, it’s actually about the same or maybe even slightly better. It did that by comparing cohorts over time.

Second, if you read between the lines, they’re basically saying that the cohorts we have are too broad – and you hear that, when people say things like “I’m a late X-er” or “I’m a young Millennial”. Comparing age groups by decade puts a finer point on it, one that we feel we need or we wouldn’t have that kind of vocabulary already.

So – a lot of outrage over basically nothing. And a new methodology that might actually yield greater insights than the tired “Boomers won’t use their phones” or whatever.

Paula Rosenblum
Paula Rosenblum
1 month ago

I also think some more work should be done on demographic differences. I had a rather heated “conversation” with the CEO of Nielsen some years ago, because he had just given a speech on the behavior of “Hispanics.” If you like somewhere like Miami, you know that not all Hispanics are the same and the difference between (for example) Cubans, Venezuelans and Columbians isn’t small. We just create more stereotypes with this kind of research.

Paula Rosenblum
Paula Rosenblum
  Paula Rosenblum
1 month ago

I meant live, not like

Richard Hernandez
Richard Hernandez
  Paula Rosenblum
1 month ago

This. I have worked with Hispanic retailers for many years and it always surprises me when agencies lump Hispanics in one group. So very wrong and a bad choice when deciding on the assortment of a retailer.
Additionally, I can tell you from experience that 1st gen Hispanics shoppers VERY differently from 2nd gen Hispanic shoppers from Millenials to Gen Z.

Ryan Mathews
Ryan Mathews
  Richard Hernandez
1 month ago

Richard,

True. Even inside a country like Mexico there are important linguistic differences between Atlantic and Pacific Spanish. I remember being in Puerto Rico with a Spanish-speaking friend of mine from East Los Angeles. When the waiter walked up and asked us (in Spanish) if we would like a “china” my friend’s reaction was somewhere between embarrassment and excitement. Little did he know the waiter was asking him if he wanted an orange juice, not a Chinese woman. And, you are right it is impossible to look at what people homogenize into the “Hispanic” market with accounting for generational, linguistic, and country of origin factors. And that, as you appreciate, is just for starters.

Ryan Mathews
Ryan Mathews
  Paula Rosenblum
1 month ago

Paula,

Couldn’t agree more, especially when it comes to emerging majority populations. I’ve fought the same “Hispanic” battle for years myself, but the truth is the demographic generalists tend to win because it’s easier to stereotype than it is to think thoughtfully on nuanced differences.

Dave Bruno
Dave Bruno
1 month ago

As a Very Late Boomer, I can in fact relate to some of the mistakes made when analyzing me and labeling me with people almost 15 years apart in age. My life experiences being born in the early 60s are very different than the life experiences of someone born in the late 40s, just a few years after the end of World War II.

I suppose I also may occasionally (and mildly) resent some of the presumptions made about my affinity for technology based purely on my generation label.

Nonetheless, I still think there is value in analyzing data based on age groups, and I do believe there are many use cases where generational analysis is appropriate and helpful. And I would certainly not advocate that we cease and desist from doing so.

Richard Hernandez
Richard Hernandez
1 month ago

I disagree 100%.
There is always(and has always) been a value in looking at generational analysis- especially in retail .

Ryan Mathews
Ryan Mathews
1 month ago

Pew is finally doing what I’ve been arguing for for over 20 years, recognizing that demographics is a blunt tool unless used with precision.

As I’ve written several times here an inner city Detroit living well beyond the poverty line does not experience the same reality as somebody from New Canaan who summers in the Hamptons just because they share a birthday.

And how about those Gen Z and Millennial youth who want authenticity, to save the planet, hold previous generations in disdain, and want to micro-dose LSD every morning to expand their conscious appreciation of life while scarfing down their organic avocado toast.

Wait!

Was I describing Gen Z and Millennials or Boomers? It’s hard to tell except – if Boomers received a micro-dose – they’d be disappointed.

What so these intragenerational similarities tell us? Oh yes, that younger, more affluent, better educated Americans tend to be idealistic until they turn 30 or 35. Not exactly a major insight.

Pew is right. Age is an appropriate metric in some situations and less so in others.

Shep Hyken
Shep Hyken
1 month ago

Generational differences in consumer behavior cannot be ignored. Our annual customer service/CX research (www.Hyken.com/research) shows vast differences based on age. It’s nice to get general stats and trends, but when you look at habits, preferences, communication channels, and more, opportunities to personalize and customize based on age are a powerful way to connect with customers.

Doug Garnett
Doug Garnett
1 month ago

I thin generational research should be retired. Retailers find more success by looking at shared behaviors than arbitrary age categories. Oddly, it’s always been this way yet research companies have generated excellent income for themselves selling generational mythologies.

DeAnn Campbell
DeAnn Campbell
1 month ago

Social media has become The Great Leveler, giving awareness of current trends and events across all generations, even if they don’t participate personally. Behaviors across age groups are converging more than any time in history because we are all focused on the same big external issues: climate, war, pandemic, political drama. Strangely, this is creating strong behavioral similarities between the generations. Even great-grandmothers are shopping online, and GenZ’s are enjoying 70’s styles and music.

Scott Norris
Scott Norris
1 month ago

Just one more instance where institutional media goes out of its way to not talk about Gen X. Whatever.

Brian Numainville
Brian Numainville
1 month ago

I’m still a fan of generational research. I was involved in introducing the concept decades ago in food industry trend research. While there are certainly nuances in looking both between generations and within generations, it provides a valuable lens to consider life experiences and timeframes that impact people living within them. So no, it shouldn’t be retired.

Craig Sundstrom
Craig Sundstrom
1 month ago

there’s “great diversity of thought, experience and behavior within generations they just figured that out ??
Like any other tool, generational analysis – I would describe it more as “age cohort” -needs to be used properly; certainly we see a lot of silly news stories, and – yes even here on RW – sometimes we’re asked to make facile comparisons between 60 year olds and 20 year olds (rather than between the 20 years olds of today versus those of forty years ago), but that’s not to say the concept has no value at all.

Michael Zakkour
Michael Zakkour
1 month ago

Eliminate? No. Understanding the differences between early, mid and late period people in each generation, yes.

Ben Reich
Ben Reich
29 days ago

Generational research definitely holds value, but true insight requires a number of comparative resources working together to fully analyze and compare cohorts. Retailers and CPG brands across the nation are increasingly relying on a range of real-time and historical inputs to best create, price and stock their products, and generationally-specific buying patterns will provide critical information to these organizations. Not only does this level of data help companies track the changes that need to be made as our population evolves, but it also helps them to tailor their business strategy to be most effective for their consumers.

Scott Jennings
Scott Jennings
27 days ago

Broad based generational research can be insightful. I have seen this to be particularly true in HR/Hiring. Paper based applications are not going to work for Gen Z, candidates will not apply or will fall out of the funnel, but paper may be viewed as a better more comfortable approach for Boomers looking to hire on. When the drill down occurs to “old millennials” vs “young gen X”, the research would have to be fairly nuanced to pull out worthwhile insights.