Generational effects alter society even when individuals stay the same

Evidence

With evidence from a single point in time, we cannot distinguish between life cycle and generational effects, but if we follow a given cohort over the years, we can more readily distinguish the two. And the two effects have dramatically different social consequences. Life cycle effects mean that individuals change, but society as a whole does not. Generational effects mean that society changes, even though individuals do not. — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 858

Categorization

• DEFINE: A crisp analytic distinction between life cycle and generational effects that explains why age-correlated social data can be read two very different ways.
• XREF: connects to: Declining social trust reflects generational succession, not individual change — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 463; Generational cultural differences can bond families rather than divide them — Neda Maghbouleh, The Limits of Whiteness: Iranian…, 227; Trust declines can persist for a generation without preventing later social progress — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 802 (+9 more)

Broader Connections

• Generational cultural differences can bond families rather than divide them #qualifies (0.85) — Neda Maghbouleh, The Limits of Whiteness, 227
• Trust declines can persist for a generation without preventing later social progress #exemplifies (0.85) — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 802
• Consistent longitudinal methods reveal genuine generational change in sexual behavior #corroborates (0.85)
• Younger generations retain strong ties but lost bridging ties to wider community #exemplifies (0.85) — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 952
• Millennials adapted faster to résumé-driven personhood than older generations. #exemplifies (0.80) — W. David Marx, Blank Space, 335
• Group cultural dominance depends on conversions and fertility, not just longevity #expands (0.78) — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 488