Društvene i Humanističke Studije (Feb 2021)
Post-millenials: Meet Generation Z
Abstract
Generation Z falls into the internet generation because it is the first generation born after the popularisation of the internet. Even though scientists don’t agree on when this generation starts and when it ends, after all, it is believed that the generation Z is made of people that are born in the nineties until today. Their parents belong to the millennial generation that is born in the eighties. Generation Z is the first generation that was raised as a part of the trend of being in the publics' eye, always posting about their lives on social networks. This potentially makes them an egocentric generation and a generation that does not have enough empathy. Although empathy is one of the key characteristics for happiness, generation Z finds happiness in their personal appearance and they care a lot about the opinions of others, that is, they care about the number of likes and the number of followers on social networks. Even though empathy is a key trait of happiness, generation Z finds happiness in physical appearance, and in others' opinion, that is they care about how many likes and how many followers on social networks they have. The purpose of this paper is to examine emotional empathy with the generation that is born in the late nineties, until generations 2006-2007, on a sample of 200 primary and high school students with an assumption that later generations are more empathic and that there is a difference between male and female subjects, that is that females are more empathic. Also, the paper provides case reports that represent the clinical population and not the average representatives of this generation and whose psychological problems may be associated with excessive use of the Internet and social networks. The results of the research indicate that the feeling of insecurity and lack of empathy in this generation is a risk factor for the development of low self-esteem and self-confidence, and ultimately more severe mental disorders, which can be reduced and prevented by a different approach to this generation.
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