Dr. Jean Twenge
Professor of Psychology
San Diego State

Cultural Trends Shaping iGen: Individualism, Insecurity, Internet, and In No Hurry to Grow Up
American culture has grown steadily more individualistic over the last few decades. Based on data from nationally representative surveys of 11 million adolescents and young adults, this resulted in generational shifts favoring individual freedom and less importance placed on marriage and family. For Millennials (born 1980-1994), individualism led to more positive self-views and more happiness as teens, but that trend reversed for iGen (born 1995-2012), who are less happy, more lonely, and more depressed. iGen spends more time online and on social media and less time interacting with friends in person than previous generations at the same age, a pattern of time use associated with lower well-being. iGen is also growing up more slowly, taking longer to engage in adult activities such as working, driving, dating, having sex, and drinking alcohol.

This lecture is made possible in part by a generous Endowment by the family of Allen. L. Edwards.