Definitions for generation gap
This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word generation gap
Random House Webster's College Dictionary
a lack of communication between one generation and another, esp. between young people and their parents.
Category: Common Vocabulary, Sociology
Origin of generation gap:
A disconnect between members of one generation and members of the next based on the later generation developing habits, attitudes, and preferences inconsistent with the experience of the former.
The generational gap is a term popularized in Western countries during the 1960s referring to differences between people of younger generations and their elders, especially between children and their parents. Although some generational differences have existed throughout history, modern generational gaps have often been attributed to rapid cultural change in the postmodern period, particularly with respect to such matters as musical tastes, fashion, culture and politics. These changes are assumed to have been magnified by the unprecedented size of the young generation during the 1960s, which gave it the power and inclination to rebel against societal norms, as reflected in songs such as the 1965 hit "My Generation" by The Who and "The Times They Are a-Changin'" by Bob Dylan. However, sociologists also point to institutional age segregation as an important contributing factor to the generational divide. Those in childhood phases are segregated within educational institutions or child-care centers, parents are isolated within work-based domains, while older generations may be relegated to retirement homes, nursing homes, or senior day care centers. Social researchers see this kind of institutionally-based age segregation as a barrier to strong intergenerational relationships, social embeddedness, and generativity.
Find a translation for the generation gap definition in other languages:
Select another language:
Discuss these generation gap definitions with the community:
Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:
"generation gap." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2014. Web. 21 Dec. 2014. <http://www.definitions.net/definition/generation gap>.