Commentary April 11, 2022

Gen Z is the Loneliest Generation — and It’s Their Parents Fault

Gen Z is the most accomplished generation, but new data show they missed out on fun and family, leaving them more adrift than previous generations.

Daniel A. Cox

A young woman with curly blond hair stands alone on a red and green athletic court.

Insider

Generation Z is impressive by any measure. They have more years of formal education and lower high-school dropout rates than any previous generation. They are more likely to avoid drug use and have lower rates of teen pregnancy. They are savvy consumers of information and users of technology. They are less prone to traffic in misinformation and conspiracy theories.

But despite all of these attributes, many Gen Zers are also incredibly lonely.

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Survey Reports

gender divide banner

Daniel A. Cox, Kelsey Eyre Hammond
September 24, 2024

The Politics of Progress and Privilege: How America’s Gender Gap Is Reshaping the 2024 Election

Americans are increasingly divided on gendered issues. A new report by the Survey Center on American Life provides context for how these divisions might impact the results of the 2024 Presidential election.

Daniel A. Cox, Sam Pressler
August 22, 2024

Disconnected: The Growing Class Divide in American Civic Life

Disconnected: Places and Spaces presents new survey findings that suggest Americans are less connected than ever before.

Daniel A. Cox, Kyle Gray, Kelsey Eyre Hammond
May 28, 2024

An Unsettled Electorate: How Uncertainty and Apathy Are Shaping the 2024 Election

A survey of more than 6,500 US adults focused on the 2024 presidential election reveals a pessimistic and unsettled American electorate fractured by education, ideology, class, and gender.

Generation Z and the Transformation of American Adolescence Cover Image

Daniel A. Cox, Kelsey Eyre Hammond, Kyle Gray
November 9, 2023

Generation Z and the Transformation of American Adolescence: How Gen Z’s Formative Experiences Shape Its Politics, Priorities, and Future

This report explores the foundational differences between American generations through their formative adolescent experiences.