Dr. Jean Twenge reviewed data from 1.4 million people between the 1930s and 2008 to discuss how generational personality differences may impact the workplace. He argues that Millennials are particularly prone to neurotic narcissism and anxiety, with high expectations and difficulty handling criticism.
However, a study of nearly half a million American high school students between 1976 and 2006 found no significant increase in traits like egotism or hypersensitivity across all the generations they studied. Instead, they suggested that the youths analysed at the end of their study, who would have been millennials, were less fearful of social problems than previous generations, more cynical, and less trusting.
One study involving individuals born between 1923 and 1969 suggests that older generations may exhibit more sensitivity. The research found greater signs of hypersensitivity in those born earlier in the century, perhaps indicating that cultural change over time is responsible for heightened personality traits.
Moreover, a 2024 study had key takeaways stating the average levels of narcissism tend to decrease across a person's life span, referring to it as the ‘maturity model.’ This research suggests that sensitivity is based on age rather than generational differences. The study found that narcissism becomes more maladaptive as people move into adult social roles that entail significant personal and social responsibilities.
Several specialists consider generational identifiers like "Gen X" or "Gen Z" too simplistic. The deadlines for these generations have no standard, agreed-upon definition, and each individual's sensitivity is likely more influenced by their own experiences, which are impacted by shifting societal influences. Therefore, age and social context continue to be essential factors in determining sensitivity levels, even though some generational tendencies are recorded in scientific discoveries.