From en.wikipedia.org:
[Person born near the border separating two generations] [Cuspers] [Cusp
(astrology)]
A CUSPER is a person born near the end of one generation and the beginning of
another. While the precise birth years defining when generations start and
end vary,[1][2] people born in these circumstances tend to have a mix of
characteristics common to their adjacent generations and do not closely
resemble those born in the middle of their adjacent generations.[3][4][5]<ref
name="Smit2017"/> Generational profiles are built based on people born in the
middle of a generation rather than those on the tails of a generation.<ref
name="Claire2003"/> Generations may overlap by five to eight years.[6][7]<ref
name="Taylor2018"/> As such, many people identify with aspects of at least two
generations.<ref name="Claire2003"/>
** Notable cusper groups
*** Greatest Generation / Silent Generation
**** Birth year ranges
<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE DATE RANGES WITHOUT ADDING NEW RELIABLE SOURCES -->
- Just before the 1920s, as identified by Graeme Codrington <ref name="Codrington2012"/>
**** Characteristics
These cuspers experienced the lows after World War I but also the highs of the
early Roaring Twenties, the Flappers, the Charleston and early silent films.
As these cuspers came of age, some of them become more visionary like the
Greatest Generation or stoic like the Silents.<ref name="Codrington2012"/>
*** Silent Generation / Baby Boomers
**** Birth year ranges
<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE DATE RANGES WITHOUT ADDING NEW RELIABLE SOURCES -->
- 1933–1945 as identified by Susan Mitchell [8]
- 1939–1945 as identified by Claire Raines Associates <ref name="Claire2003"/>
- 1940–1945 as identified by Lynne Lancaster and David Stillman, authors of _When Generations Collide,<ref name="LancasterStillman2009" />_ as well as The Mayo Clinic <ref name="MayoClinic2005"/>
- 1942–1948 as identified by Trompenaars and Woolliams <ref name=":0"/>
- 1943–1948 as identified by Deon Smit, writing for _HR Future_ <ref name="Smit2017"/>
**** Characteristics
Claire Raines Associates names these cuspers the _Sandwich Group_,<ref
name="Claire2003"/> Susan Mitchell calls these cuspers the _Swing
Generation_,<ref name="Mitchell2003"/>[9] Smit calls them _Troomers_<ref
name="Smit2017"/> and Trompenaars and Woolliams call them _Shhh-oomers_.<ref
name=":0"/> According to the Mayo Clinic, these cuspers have the work ethic of
the Silent Generations, but like Baby Boomers will often challenge the status
quo.<ref name="MayoClinic2005"/> Codrington describes them as having the
status-seeking, career advancement motivations as Baby Boomers.<ref
name="Codrington2012"/> Codrington adds that they are old enough to remember
World War II, but were born too late to enjoy the 1960s.<ref
name="Codrington2012"/> Hart notes that research has found the younger members
of the Silent Generation tended to share more traits with Baby Boomers.[10]
Writer Marian Botsford Fraser described women in this cusper population as
girls who "...did not smoke dope at high school, go to rock concerts, toy with
acid and the pill and hippie boyfriends at university or tour Europe with a
backpack." Instead, she notes "These girls wore crinolines and girdles, went
to The Prom, went to nursing school and teachers' college, rarely
university."[11] Speaking of Susan Mitchell's population specifically they are
believed to be an anomaly in that they tend be more activist and free thinkers
than those born prior to them in the Silent Generation.<ref
name="Giancola2006"/><ref name="Mitchell2003"/> Lancaster and Stillman echo
this last point and note that these cuspers were on the frontlines of
America's internal struggles as adults, agitating in favor of human rights.
They go on to say many women among these cuspers entered in to male-dominated
workplaces before the women's movement existed, blazing a trail for other
generations of women to follow.<ref name="LancasterStillman2009"/>
*** Baby Boomers / Generation X
[Generation Jones]
**** Birth year ranges
<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE DATE RANGES WITHOUT ADDING NEW RELIABLE SOURCES -->
- 1954–1965 as identified by Jonathan Pontell [12] < !-- looks like Ad Age bought or reprints from American Demographics -->
- 1955–1960 as identified by Mary E. Donahue <ref name="Donahue2020"/>
- 1958–1967 as identified by Mark Wegierski of the Hudson Institute [13]
- 1960–1965 as identified by Lancaster and Stillman, <ref name="LancasterStillman2009" /> Mayo Clinic, <ref name="MayoClinic2005" /> and Andrea Stone writing in _USA Today_ [14]
- 1961–1968 as identified by Trompenaars and Woolliams [15]
- 1962–1967 as identified by Smit <ref name="Smit2017"/>
- 1964–1969 as identified by Codrington <ref name="Codrington2008"/>
**** Characteristics
This population is sometimes referred to as _Generation Jones_,<ref
name="Wellner2000"/><ref name="Giancola2006"/> and less commonly as
_Tweeners_,<ref name="Stone1996"/> _Baby X’s_ by Smit<ref name="Smit2017"/>
and _Boomerex_ by Trompenaars and Woolliams.<ref name=":0" /> These cuspers
were not as financially successful as older Baby Boomers.<ref
name="MayoClinic2005"/><ref name="LancasterStillman2009"/> They experienced a
recession like many Generation Xers but had a much more difficult time finding
jobs than Generation X did.<ref name="MayoClinic2005"/><ref
name="LancasterStillman2009"/> While they learned to be IT-savvy, they did not
have computers until after high school but were some of the first to purchase
them for their homes.<ref name="MayoClinic2005"/><ref name="Codrington2012"/>
They were among some of the first to take an interest in video games.<ref
name="LancasterStillman2009"/> They get along well with Baby Boomers, but
share different values. While they are comfortable in office environments,
they are more relaxed at home. They are less interested in advancing their
careers than Baby Boomers and more interested in quality of life.<ref
name="Codrington2012"/>
*** Generation X / Millennials
[Xennials]
**** Birth year ranges
<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE DATE RANGES WITHOUT ADDING NEW RELIABLE SOURCES -->
- 1975–1980 as identified by Donahue, [16] as well as The Mayo Clinic <ref name="MayoClinic2005"/>
- 1976–1982 as identified by Hannah L. Ubl, Lisa X. Walden, and Debra Arbit [17]
- 1977–1981 as identified by Doree Shafrir , writing for _Slate_ [18]
- 1977–1983 as identified by Smit, <ref name="Smit2017"/> Merriam-Webster [19] and Trompenaars and Woolliams <ref name=":0" />
- 1977–1985 as identified by '' Business Insider [20] '' [21]
**** Characteristics
The Generation X/Millennial cuspers are most commonly referred to as
_Xennials_, although other names include the _Oregon Trail Generation_,
_Generation Catalano_ and _The Lucky Ones_.<ref name="Taylor2018"/>
Researchers point out that these cuspers have both the healthy skepticism of
Generation X and the optimism of Millennials.<ref
name="LancasterStillman2009"/><ref name="Codrington2012"/><ref
name="MayoClinic2005"/> They are likely to challenge authority, but also are
more career-focused than Generation X..<ref name="Codrington2012"/> While not
all of these cuspers are digital natives,[22] they are very comfortable with
technology.<ref name="MayoClinic2005"/>
*** Millennials / Generation Z
[Zillennials]
**** Birth year ranges
<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE DATE RANGES WITHOUT ADDING NEW RELIABLE SOURCES -->
- 1990–2000 as identified by Avery Hartmans, writing for _Business Insider_ USA [23]
- 1992–1998 as identified by Ubl, Walden, and Arbit, <ref name="UblWalden2017"/> _WGSN ,_ [24] _Vogue_ , [25] Mary Everett, writing for _PopSugar_ [26]
- 1992–2000 as identified by Ketchum [27]
- 1993–1998 as identified by Smit, [28] Maisy Farren, writing for _Vice_ , [29] Lindsay Dogson, writing for Business Insider Mexico, [30] Metlife [31] and Britannica [32]
- 1993–1999 as identified by Fullscreen, LLC [33] and Trompenaars and Woolliams <ref name=":0" />
- 1995–2000 as identified by Donahue <ref name="Donahue2020"/>
- 1992–2002 as identified by Deborah Carr [34]
**** Characteristics
Names given for these cuspers include the _Snapchat Generation_ by Ubl,
Walden, and Arbit,<ref name="UblWalden2017"/> _MinionZ_ by Smit,<ref
name="Smit2017"/> _GenZennials_ by Ketchum,[35] _Zillennials_,[36] and
_Zennials_.[37] They are characterized as being "raised less by optimistic
Boomers and more by skeptical Xers and pragmatic Gen Jonesers, who raised them
to focus more on the practical rather than the aspirational."<ref
name="UblWalden2017"/>
** Workplace importance
Communication misunderstandings between employees of different generations are
detrimental to workplace morale, increasing turnover and absenteeism while
decreasing job satisfaction, work commitment and productivity.[38][39]
Effective communication between employees of different generations, however,
allows for collaborative relationships and ensures that information is
retained from one generation to the next.<ref name="Nwosu2016"/> Cuspers play
an important role in multi-generational workplaces and other
organizations.<ref name="LancasterStillman2009"/><ref name="Codrington2012"/>
Metaphorically, cuspers are like bridges or glue that connect members of their
adjacent major generations.<ref name="Smit2017"/><ref name="FluckDowden2013"/>
Between generations, they are naturally skilled at mediating, translating,
mentoring and managing.[40][41][42] Strategically placing cuspers in the
workplace has the potential to reduce generational workplace friction and give
organizations doing so a competitive advantage.[43][44][45]
** Generational identity
Many cuspers do not feel a sense of belonging to a specific generation.<ref
name="Codrington2012"/><ref name="LancasterStillman2009"/> Researchers
studying generational subculture theory have speculated that there may be
populations within larger generational cohorts whose values are more in line
with those of preceding generations, for example, someone born in the range of
Generation X who has a moral philosophy more similar to the Silent
Generation.<ref name="Taylor2018"/>[46] Generations are heterogenous, and
differences within a generation can be as great as differences between
generations.[47]
The generational fuzziness theory proposes that one's generation is best
defined as the combination of one's birth year and generational identity—the
cultural generation to feel most similar to.[48][49] Not all cuspers identify
with both sides of the generational dividing line. Many adopt the values of
one side and conduct themselves accordingly.[50]
** References
[25em]
** External links
- [wiktionary inline]
[Generation] [Young adult development]
Category:Cultural generations Category:Demographics