Generational Discontinuity in Beliefs: An Exploration of the Generation Gap¹

Empirical studies indicated little evidence for generational differences on the level of beliefs traditionally referred to as attitudes (see Rokeach's typology). At the intermediate level of beliefs, those concerning authority , there appeared more possibility of generational discontinuity, especially in relation to the legitimacy of national institutions. Although very little research has been done on value orientations , studies of political attitudes have indicated higher parent‐child agreement on partisan attitudes than on political value orientations. Data from a sample of college students and their parents indicate striking generational differences on another value orientation, a measure of time perspective. It appears that writers who have argued that a counterculture is emerging among the younger generation are concentrating on the value orientation level, while the debunkers of the notion of a generation gap have focused almost entirely upon the level of attitudes.