A Culture Gap Between the Generations? Social Influences on Youth Cultural Style

ABSTRACT

This article examines the connection between adolescents ‘tastes and those of significant individuals in their social environment. The analysis is based on Dutch teenagers' responses to a questionnaire about their own and others’ preferences in the areas of music, reading material, film, television, art, culture and recreation. Four cultural styles were distinguished. These cultural styles were characterized respectively by elite, informational, romantic and ‘virile’ interests. The cultural style of the respondent tended to correspond closely to that of his or her best friend. At the same time, the adolescents reported no conflict between their own tastes and those of their fathers and mothers. There was no evidence of a ‘parent-peer’ conflict in which youth distance themselves from their parents and focus exclusively on their friends.