Cohorts and sociological branding

Generation X, Millennials, Generation Z, Baby Boomers, the Silent Generation - We have all heard the various generational cohorts characterized in some congealed fashion. It is one of the few socially acceptable forms of stereotyping still common.

But just how accurate are these stereotypes? Many socially unacceptable stereotypes have degrees of accuracy. Are Boomers self-absorbed? Millennials frenetic and unserious?

Research suggests perhaps there is more sociological branding occurring than accurate information being conveyed.

From Rethinking “Generation Me”: A Study of Cohort Effects from 1976-2006 by Kali H. Trzesniewski, M. Brent Donnellan. From the Abstract (emphasis added):

Social commentators have argued that changes over the last decades have coalesced to create a relatively unique generation of young people. However, using large samples of U.S. high-school seniors from 1976 to 2006 (Total N = 477,380), we found little evidence of meaningful change in egotism, self-enhancement, individualism, self-esteem, locus of control, hopelessness, happiness, life satisfaction, loneliness, antisocial behavior, time spent working or watching television, political activity, the importance of religion, and the importance of social status over the last 30 years. Today's youth are less fearful of social problems than previous generations and they are also more cynical and less trusting. In addition, today's youth have higher educational expectations than previous generations. However, an inspection of effect sizes provided little evidence for strong or widespread cohort-linked changes.

The nomenclature is convenient but it conveys little accurate information. It would seem.