W&M ScholarWorks Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects 2012 The Millennial generation: Howe and Strauss disputed Holly Alexander Agati College of William & Mary - School of Education Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd Part of the Higher Education Commons, Higher Education Administration Commons, and the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Alexander Agati, Holly, "The Millennial generation: Howe and Strauss disputed" (2012). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1539618810. https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.25774/w4-gjnp-xz92 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Running head: THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION: HOWE AND STRAUSS DISPUTED A Dissertation Presented to The Faculty ofthe School of Education The College of William and Mary in Virginia In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Holly Alexander Agati November 2011 THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION: HOWE AND STRAUSS DISPUTED by Holly Alexander Agati Approved November 2011 by Doroth)TRF11negan~~[:~ ' Chair of Doctoral Committee Pamela L. Eddy, Ph.D. Virgin M. Ambler, Ph.D. 11 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................... .ix Abstract .................................................................................................................................. xii List of Tables and Figures ...................................................................................................... xiii CHAPTER 1: Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1 Generation Theory .................................................................................................................. 1 Problem of the Study .............................................................................................................. 6 Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................... 8 Limitations and Delimitations ................................................................................................ 13 CHAPTER 2: Review of the Literature ................................................................................. 15 Germinal Generational Theorists ........................................................................................... 15 Karl Mannheim .......................................................................................................... 16 William Strauss and Neil Howe ................................................................................. 18 Personal and Societal Attributes ............................................................................................ 19 Four Generation Effects ......................................................................................................... 20 Time Interval Effect ................................................................................................... 21 Cohort Effect .............................................................................................................. 24 Period Effect .............................................................................................................. 25 Attitude Effect ............................................................................................................ 28 Living Generations ................................................................................................................. 30 Silent Generation ....................................................................................................... 30 Boomers ..................................................................................................................... 31 Generation X .............................................................................................................. 31 iii Millennials ................................................................................................................. 32 College Student Generations .................................................................................................. 33 Millennials ............................................................................................................................. 35 Special ........................................................................................................................ 36 Sheltered .................................................................................................................... 36 Confident. ................................................................................................................... 3 7 Team-Oriented ........................................................................................................... 37 Achieving ................................................................................................................... 3 7 Pressured .................................................................................................................... 37 Conventional .............................................................................................................. 3 7 Shortcomings in Millennia} Definitions ................................................................................. 37 Summary ofthe Literature Review ........................................................................................ 43 CHAPTER 3: Methods .......................................................................................................... 45 Conceptual Framework .......................................................................................................... 45 Paradigm .................................................................................................................... 4 7 Case Study Inquiry ..................................................................................................... 49 Research Context ....................................................................................................... 49 Permission .............................. ,................................................................................... 50 Sampling and Participants .......................................................................................... 51 Data Collection ................................................................... ,...................................... 52 Data Analysis ........ ,.................................................................................................... 54 Generalizability ...................................................................................................................... 55 Ethical Safeguards and Considerations ........................................ ,......................................... 56 IV CHAPTER 4: Heterogeneity and Homogeneity .................................................................... 58 Personal Attributes ................................................................................................................. 60 Family Life ................................................................................................................. 60 Gender Roles .............................................................................................................. 66 Education ................................................................................................................... 74 Religion ...................................................................................................................... 80 Faith-Based .................................................................................................... 81 Non-Faith Based ............................................................................................ 84 Influences ....................................................................................................... 85 Lifestyle and the Future ............................................................................................. 86 Interpersonal .................................................................................................. 87 Economic ....................................................................................................... 88 Personal .......................................................................................................... 90 Influences ....................................................................................................... 93 Societal Attributes .................................................................................................................. 95 Technology ................................................................................................................ 96 Defining World, National and Global Events ........................................................... .l04 September 11, 2001 ....................................................................................... 104 Wars ..............................................................................................................