Does THE Generation Z exist? Generations vs. sinus milieus.

Is there actually "DIE" Generation Z? A good question, especially once you have studied the Sinus-Milieus. The Sinus Institute (Sinus Markt- und Sozialforschung GmbH) has specialized in the complex analysis of society for over 40 years. And one thing becomes clear from this analysis: the world in which young people live is also very differentiated (as you would expect).

The Sinus-Milieus

Researchers at the Sinus Institute survey various target groups in so-called life-world explorations with regard to their values, attitudes, life goals, lifestyle and social background, among other things. This data is analyzed and various clusters can be formed. These groups of like-minded people are referred to as milieus. In order to obtain a broader picture, quantitative data is also collected using a standardized questionnaire. In this way, an attempt is made to obtain as realistic a picture as possible of the socio-cultural diversity in the population under investigation, e.g. young people in Germany. Thanks to its many years of work in this field, the Institute can draw on a wealth of historical data and thus also highlight changes (longitudinal studies). The following short video provides a brief but very informative insight into the German milieus.

The Sinus Institute has produced a large number of studies on various topics that go far beyond the subject of young people or Germany. Some of the studies can be found on the Homepage of the Sinus Institute freely accessible. But also to the Sinus milleus in Germany some data is available free of charge. But now we are approaching the question of whether "Generation Z" even exists via the lifeworlds of young people.

The living environment of young people

The SINUS Institute has been researching the lives of young people for many years and has been publishing its "What makes young people tick?" series every four years since 2008. The last edition was published in 2016, so theoretically there should be another edition this year. The current issue "What makes young people tick 2016? Lebenswelten von Jugendlichen im Alter von 14 bis 17 Jahren in Deutschland" is even available free of charge as a Open Access at SpringerLink. Klaus Hurrelmann (Shell Study) wrote the foreword and rates the study as an "extraordinarily well-founded and methodologically sound study" that impresses with its "accuracy and originality" and "provides a deep insight into the emotional and attitudinal world of 14 to 17-year-olds in Germany. The study focuses in particular on the following topics:

• Digital media and digital learning
• Mobility
• Environmental protection, climate change and critical consumption
• Love and partnership
• Faith and religion
• Images of history
• Nation and national identity
• Flight and asylum

Further information on the Sinus-Milieus with regard to young people is available from the Sinus Academy (also: wie-ticken-jugendliche.de) and here directly at Sinus Institute.

So is there "THE" Generation Z?

When you get right down to it, no. There is no such thing as "Generation Z" any more than there is "the" Germans, "the" Bavarians, "the" police officers or "the" women (or men). As with all these terms, there is a high degree of variability in internal differentiation. But we still use these terms in everyday life to facilitate communication and create common images. That's why I think it makes a lot of sense to use generational terms to differentiate between different age groups that have been shaped by certain circumstances and can therefore be distinguished from one another. For example, men and women, Upper Bavarians and Middle Franconians. But you should always bear in mind that behind each of these terms is an incredible range of individuals who have some, but by no means everything, in common. And so it is, as always: you can express complex things simply, but you should be aware of the underlying complexity.