Born after 1982 About 100 million people 33% more than boomers Ethnically diverse 39% minority The Millennials

Double income family, but “cherished” generation Baby on Board Used to and expect a lot Driven by fun and high energy, but also era of increased community The Millennials

Older parents Mom’s age at birth Smaller families Median # siblings = 1 The Millennials

More parental education Parent with degree % % Slowing of family breakup The Millennials

Special Sheltered Confident Team-oriented Achieving Pressured Conventional The Millennials

In general, Millennials are less vulgar less sexually active less violent than the youth culture that adults have created for them Howe & Strauss (2000) The Millennials

Love to cook… but often eat later (10 p.m.) like diverse foods learned “from the box” Spend about 13 – 27 $B per year 56 mall visits per year; 90 min. each; $US per visit The Millennials

First generation since 1945 to face higher academic standards than the last Teachers rate elementary school students as more proficient…less so for high school Howe & Strauss (2000) School

I.Q. scores are 14 points over grandparents, 7 points over parents Used to and expect teamwork Community oriented Technology literate Howe & Strauss (2000) School

“Today preschoolers acquainted with cell phones, pagers, and personal computers go into kindergartens where chalkboards and overhead projectors represent the state of the art.” - Bill Gates, The Road Ahead The Millennials

Levin & Arafeh (2002); Jones (2002) 94% use web for school 70% use IM & 81% use 56% prefer the web to telephone 84% university students have own CPU Notebooks replacing desktops 67% get their “valid” info from web Technology

Yes %No % Stronger gun control 4753 Downloading music theft? 2971 More accepting? 8317 Legalize pot5126 Politics

Yes %No % Pro Choice5842 Favor the WTO 5644 Main source political news 74 web26 all others 1. Education 2. Civil rights3. Environment Politics

Mean Median Mode Current Psych Students How well did HS prepare you? University teaching better? Comfortable with technology? How much stress in daily life? Stress re: education?

Current Psych Students Optimism re: success in life? Confident you can shape future? Hours watching TV per week CPU use: school per week Mean Median Mode CPU use: personal per week

Time management Information overload Work load Exams Living with someone else Being away from home Being responsible for self Balancing academic and social life Most Difficult Adjustment at University

Computers aren’t technology The Internet is better than TV Reality is no longer real Learning resembles Nintendo more than logic Info Age Mindset Doing is more important than knowing Frand, 2000

Multitasking is a way of life Staying connected is essential Consumer and creator are blurred Info Age Mindset Zero tolerance for delay Typing is preferred to handwriting Frand, 2000

Be a leader Provide challenges Allow for work with friends Be flexible What Can Managers Do? Allow for fun in the workplace Claire Raines: Connecting Generations

Contact me: Mike Atkinson Department of Psychology The University of Western Ontario London Ontario ext

NOTE: The following slides present some survey data re: student opinions about university. These may or may not be presented in the talk.

1997 Survey Acadia, Dal, Memorial, Laurier, Toronto, Nipissing, Manitoba, Lethbridge, SFU Random sample: 2713 replies Mean age = 25 63% female Surveys

73% had some debt Mean = $17,577 Med = $15,000 Also a mean credit card debt of $1,800 University Debt

Students asked to “grade” their university for contributions to personal growth Means ranged from a high “D” to a low “B” Grading the University

Gaining broad knowledge of major field Working independently Thinking logically Written communication skills Commitment to life-long learning Top Five Areas

Entrepreneurial skills Appreciation for the Arts Math skills Specific employment skills General employment skills Bottom Five Areas

Course availability: 20% Seminar availability: 23% Quality of advising: 25% Stress: 17% $ management: 21% Time management: 30% Other Surveys: Dissatisfaction

Turn to Prof for advice: 24% - Christie (1988), Dalhousie Prof is boring: 70% - Wong (1994), Trent Learning atmosphere: 57% - Univ. of Victoria (1992) Satisfied with class size: 42% - Gilbert (1995), Guelph Other Surveys: Dissatisfaction