The Mechanisms of Generational Change: Triggers and Processes

The persistent use of generational labels like “Millennials” by media commentators, research firms, and even sociologists shows that the processes by which generations and generational change are created remain poorly understood. Although social scientists agree upon the basic formula for sound generational analysis [cohort replacement x (impressionable-years hypothesis + persistence hypothesis)], this consensus obscures fundamental terminological problems and conceptual dilemmas that continue to stifle generational research. This paper describes the four interlinked mechanisms that are required to produce generational change and argues that studying the relations between two of the linked mechanisms—structural triggers and agentic processes—helps to overcome the persistent ambiguities in generational theory and can provide a measure of clarity for an empirical research program on generational change. A catalog of generational triggers is developed, and the utility of the mechanism-centered approach to generational analysis is illustrated with familiar examples.