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Abstract
In this article, we reexamine the concept of generation as it has been used in the social and behavioral sciences and its utility for present-day research on human development. This is accomplished via an investigation of the concept's historical roots and classical writings on the subject. Three distinct concepts of generation are uncovered—(a) generations as positions in family lineages, (b) generations as birth cohorts (or historical locations), and (c) generations as historical participation—and all were found to be useful. Our discussion goes beyond clarifying the distinctions among these 3 concepts and reducing the confusion among them; it also makes a case for why all 3 are important for the study of human development.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors were supported by a grant from the National Institute on Aging (R01–AG021203) during the preparation of this article.