Who+are+Gen+Y?

Name: Sophie Kyriakides  Student Number: 08306117  Tutor's Name: Emily Mann

**WHO ARE ‘GENERATION Y’? ** World altering events and economic forces formed the creation of Generation X: an independent self-employed group of highly divorced individuals (Bernard, 2010). However, with ever emerging times of the twenty-first century, where Wall Street collapses, and smart phone phenomena’s emerge each day, a questionable acquisition arises: who are Generation Y?This so called Generation Y are ‘said’ to be more technically savvy, impatient, socially and culturally aware; more accepting of varying sexual preferences and reportedly more likely to ‘follow the crowd’, to participate in casual sex, binge drinking, illegal drugs use and violent behaviour (East, 2010; Patterson, 2007). However is this really ‘Generation Y’.



Meister, J. (2009). //The// //Evolution of the Hipster 2000-2009// [Image]. Retrieved October 1, 2011 from http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/12/the-evolution-of-the-hipster-2000-2009.html

ARTIFACT REVIEW This artifact visually displays the emerging fast paced life of a typical Generation Y. It depictures the lifespan of Generation Y’s fashion changes with visual aids and briefly describes each ‘phase’ using a logo name or slang expression. The timeline begins with a 2000 male Emo wearing his ‘guyliner’ and proto-hipsters belt. He is accompanied by a female 2001 Emo Redux who is apparently ‘not trying too hard’. The timeline evolves and portrays fashionistic movements for both male and female models for the next seven to eight years and ends with a male 2008 ‘Williamsburg’ in a deep-v neck tee and a 2009 female Meta-Nerd/ hipster wearing a popular three wolf moon tee, who is apparently ‘making a monkey of herself’. The well throughout Evolution of the Hipster (2000-2009) photograph is carefully put together by Josh Meister (2009).

PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE Generation Y individuals are easily influenced and tend to conform easily to societies customary tendencies. This accusation can be visually seen within the above artifact, where Generation Y’s ‘fashionistic’ trends and behaviours are shown within a timeline. A more controversial and publically concerning topic is the high prevalence of alcohol abuse, illicit drug use, casual sex and violent behavior among the Generation Y group. These ‘characteristics’ are furthermore ballooned by the Australian culture, which seamlessly accepts and encourages such risk-taking behaviours. Hence why there is an increase in concern for Generations Y’s health and well-being.

LITERATURE REVIEW Evidence from several research articles show that current economical, political and cultural conditions that we live under today significantly drive and contribute to the formation of Generation Y’s traits. For example reports made by Lindsay (2009) indicated that the increase in binge drinking among adolescents and young adults could be due to the rapid development of ‘night-time economy’, being the substantial increase in night-time entertainment, pub, clubs and restaurants in many post-industrial cities. Lindsay’s study (2009) also showed that the average amount of alcoholic beverages consumed on a singular sessions was more than five standard drinks, which is well over the recommended guidelines. Reports from theAlcohol Education Rehabilitation (AER) Foundation (2011) identified that ‘the majority of Generation Y who consume alcohol (61%) do so with the intention of getting drunk.’ The AER Foundation Chief Executive, Michael Thorn, said: “These findings paint a picture of an unhealthy drinking culture in Australia, where millions of people are misusing alcohol by drinking to get drunk. There is countless and unequivocal evidence of the link between high consumption levels and harm – the more people drink, the more likely they are to cause harm to themselves and to the people around them.” Other reports from the Commonwealth of Australia (2007) showed epidemiological evidence that indicated alcohol as the highest lifetime prevalence drug used within Australia, according to the 2004 NDS household survey. The survey also indicated that cannabis use remained the ‘most widely used illicit drug in Australia.’ Additionally the survey found that adolescents aged 14-19 years were more likely to have ever tried cannabis (25.5%) compared to tobacco (16.2%).Another study undertaken by Wilson et al., (2010) showed that adolescents and young adults attending a music festival found it ‘very easy’ or ‘fairly easy’ to obtain both cannabis and ecstasy. These findings link up with reports from the 2004 NDS survey which indicated that ‘cannabis is widely available in the community with more than one in two respondents (58.2%) reporting that they had the opportunity to use cannabis in the previous year’ (Commonwealth of Australia, 2007). Research also indicates that young people now have positive attitudes toward drugs and drug users (Linsday, 2009; Wilson et al., 2010, Holt, 2005) and more importantly, see drug use as a potentially ‘fun’ and ‘exciting’ activity (Holt, 2005). <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">However, arising evidence (Commonwealth of Australia, 2007) suggests that frequent drug use, predominantly cannabis, is strongly linked with depression, anxiety disorders and in server cases cannabis intoxication, which causes disruption of cognitive function (memory, learning, temporal processing) and psychomotor impairment. The later health issues are strongly linked to suicide, which is another health issues, beginning to be more prevalent within young adults and adolescents of Australian culture (Royal Children’s Hospital, 2010; Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2010). <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">A growing concern connected with these risk-taking behaviours is the initial reasoning behind them. Studies (Commonwealth of Australia, 2007) show the main contributor to illicit drug use (cannabis) was primarily peer acceptance and conformity. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">Sexual risk-taking behavior is strongly linked to peer-pressure among the Generation Y group. A study done by Halpern-Felsher and Renznik (2009) found that approximately fifty percent of adolescents had sex during their high school years, however only engaged in having sex when the positive outcomes outweighed the negative. Undertaking sexual intercourse was driven by an increase in popularity, pleasure, relationships and feeling good about oneself. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">Another study undertaken by Hammond et al. (2011) found that approximately half the women, within the study, said they had felt pressured, at least once, to engage in oral sex. However, overall the women had positive attitudes toward engaging and undertaking oral sex. These attitudes were strongly related to the health concerns of the females, as many believed that oral sex was safer than vaginal intercourse, as there is a lesser chance of contracting STI’s and/ or falling pregnant. However, results from the ‘National Survey of Australian Secondary Students, HIV/AIDS and Sexual Health’ (State Government Victoria, 2009) survey found that ‘one in four teenagers have had sexual intercourse without using a condom’ and that ‘one in four teenagers report they were either drunk or high during their most recent sexual encounter.’ <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">These risk-taking behaviours and lack of independence, in addition with unhealthy lifestyle choices puts Generation Y and further generations at risk of developing severe health problems in the future.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: center;">CULTURAL AND SOCIAL ANALYSIS <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">Society and culture are crucial to consider to when addressing such health issues as Generational binge drinking epidemics and casual sex outbreaks, which are highly linked with illicit drug use and violent behaviour. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">As Jenkinson (2008) stated ‘…today’s young people are [is] marked by their having grown up in a world that promotes individualism and consumerism, and that the values that underpin these ideologies are detrimental to good citizenship.’ <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">Australian culture focuses largely on the consumer as a whole (Commonwealth of Australia, 1997; Promar International, 2001). Therefore it is important to consider the trends and customs of Australian culture when addressing such issues that are concerned with Generation Y. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">Generation Y have been exposed to the internet, cable television, globalisation, environmentalism, multiculturalism and AID’s their whole lives. As McCrindle (n.d.) said //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">“People resemble their times more then they resemble their parents.” // <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">Thus, these social structures may be the formation of Generation Y’s risk-taking behaviours. Media and research have indicated that social and cultural groups are strong influential aspects that shape Generation Y’s beliefs and behaviours. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">On a more theoretical point of view, Generation’s Y needs to conform can be explained by theory’s such as the social theory, which was first developed at the start of the 1970’s in Britain by Henri Tajfel (Burke, 2006). Tajfel defined it as ‘the individual’s knowledge that he belongs to certain social groups together with some emotional and value significance to him of the group membership’, where, as stated by Turner, a social group is ‘two or more individuals who share a common social identification of themselves or, which is nearly the same thing, perceive themselves to be members of the same social category.’ (Burke, 2006). <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">The psychological processes associated with social identity are also responsible for generating distinctively ‘groupy’ behaviours. These groupy behaviours are then furthermore conformed into being the group or cultural norm, an agreed way of thinking and acting, which is expected of the group or culture. Drinking in time of celebration is the norm behaviour in Australian culture, which in return creates a negative opinion toward individuals that do not drink, as seen in Lindsay’s (2009) study. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">Generation Y’s consensus way of thinking may have serious side effects. As described by Burke (2006) social consensus is an intrinsic property of the group, which makes disagreement, or dissensus, unexpected, thus creating pressures for conformity. The individual may feel insecure about his or her choice and will therefore follow the norm, in fear of being secluded from the group, rather than following a more independent pathway. Therefore when considering addressing issues such as; binge drinking and illicit drug use, one must fully understand the status of Generation Y’s social longings and its effects. By applying the social identity approach, a focus on the //group in the individual// can be obtained and these problems can be addressed in a tactful and logical way that appeals to the Generation. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">Even though some reports have indicated that not all Generation Y groups participate in binge drinking, illicit drug use, violent behaviour and casual sex, research has indicated that these characterised behaviours are prominent within Generation Y (Lindsay, 2009; Wilson et al., 2010; Hammond et al., 2011; Halpern-Felsher & Renznik, 2009). <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">This formed ‘popular’ culture should be addressed at a stage where social theory can be used to its advantage. Meaning that, while Generation Y are still consumer based and crowd driven, such characteristics traits are linked with easily accepting change and thus embracing it. Therefore, if presented with the opportunity, Generation Y are more likely than any other generation to change their views and beliefs and create and sculpt a new form of Generation Y. As Charles Darwin noted in his research: //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">“It is not the strongest species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most adaptable to change”. //

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: center;">ATRIFACT ANALYSIS AND REFLECTION <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">The artifact represents the ever changing needs and, in some sense, the pressures that Generation Y face today. The evolutionary changes made over the period shows how influential culture and society are, when it comes to ‘forming’ or ‘creating’ a generation. In terms of social theory however, Generation Y maybe more consumer based and easily affected by cultural conformity, they are still individualistic in themselves which is one of the main reflections that can be taken from the artifact. Even though society and culture strive for conformity and consistency among civilization, Generation Y are able to add flavor and uniqueness to themselves and create a ever changing image, which will forever be debated on whether Generation Y really are a ‘set’ Generation. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: justify;">Upon reflection, this assessment has allowed me to view socio-cultural environments and factors in a different manner. It has given me a better understanding of different perspectives into understanding social trends and in particular generational characteristics. Overall it was an insightful experience which, in tum will aid me in future prospects within public health.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">COMMENTS <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Comment: //Women talking sport!? Get back to the kitchen!// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">http://healthculturesociety.wikispaces.com/Women+talking+sport!%3F+Get+back+to+the+kitchen! <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Title: Love the clip <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Added 11:50am 3rd November 2011 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">I thought your artifact was very appropriate for your discussion. I’d never seen the advertisement before, and you’re right in the aspect that it does emphasise the women’s athletic abilities more than other female sport advertisements. Whilst reading your discussion it gave me more insight into the female discrimination against women in sport which I never really considered before. One aspect of your research, from Hardin & Shain (2005) which really astonished me was the fact that women employed I sports media received LOWER salaries than men. Unbelievable! All in all nice work, it was easy to read, really succinct and not overpowering.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Comment: //Each time you sleep with someone, you're also sleeping with his past// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">http://healthculturesociety.wikispaces.com/Each+time+you+sleep+with+someone%2C+you%27re+also+sleeping+with+his+past <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Title: Very interesting artifact <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Added 11:51am 3rd November 2011 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Your artifact was quite unexpected when I first read your title. It was definitely, however, very appropriate for the discussion. At first I didn’t even realize the multiple hands until I read it in your artifact description. Your discussion was full of research and had a lot of information regarding the prevalence of STI’s. I really like the linkage that you made with the prevalence of STI’s among the different generations; this gave me a better understanding of the importance for a public health intervention. Nice work and great choice of artifact, it really links in well with your topic.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: center;">References <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">AER Foundation. (2011). Changing the way we drink: Media Release. Retrieved from http://www.aerf.com.au/showcase/MediaReleases/2011/140411_Media%20Release_New%20report%20-%204%20million%20Australians%20admit%20to%20drinking%20to%20get%20drunk.pdf

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: justify;"> ANZPAA. (2011). Alcohol misuse statistics. Retrieved from http://anzpaa.org.au/current-initiatives/operation-unite/alcohol-misuse-statistics <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: justify;"> Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2010). //1370.0 - Measures of Australia's Progress, 2010 (ABS 2010, Cause of Death, 2008 and 2006).// Retrieved from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/1370.0~2010~Chapter~Suicide%20%284.5.4%29 <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;">Bernard, S. (2010, May 13). Praise as Gen X rolls with the punches. //The Australian.// Retrieved from http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/opinion/praise-as-gen-x-rolls-with-the-punches/story-e6frg9jx-1225865727330 <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: justify;">Commonwealth of Australia. (1997). //4172.0- Cultural Trends in Australia. A Statistical Overview 1997 (Australian Bureau of Statistics).// Retrieved from http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/subscriber.nsf/Lookup/CA25687100069892CA256889002936F1/$File/41720_1997.pdf <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: justify;"> Commonwealth of Australia. (2007). //Illicit drug use in Australia: Epidemiology, use patterns and associated harm (2nd Edition) (National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre).// Retrieved from http://www.health.gov.au/internet/drugstrategy/publishing.nsf/content/17b917608c1969abca257317001a72d4/$file/mono-63.pdf <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11pt;">East, S. (2010). Generation Y, Strategy Report. Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/52171861/Generation-Y-Strategy-Report <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">Hammond, L., Estoesta, J., Passmore, E., & Ruddock, J. (2011). It feels good: Australia young women’s attitudes to oral sex. //Youth Studies Australia//, 30 (2), 15- 21. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/ehost/detail?sid=eb8d9b51-8d08-4127-8ac6-a519c8263935%40sessionmgr115&vid=1&hid=122&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=anh&AN=62169724

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">Halpern- Felsher, B., & Renznik, Y. (2009). Adolescent sexual attitudes and behaviours: a developmental perspective. //Prevention Researcher//, 16 (4), 3-6. Retrieved from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11pt;">http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=65b80ae9-8ca0-43e2-9799-89e0d07c779a%40sessionmgr115&vid=2&hid=122

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: justify;"> Holt, M. (2005). Young people and illicit drug use in Australia. //National Centre in HIV// //Social Research, 3,// 1-4. ISSN 1447-5774

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: justify;"> Jenkinson, P. (2008). Inside the mind of the iGeneration. Retrieved from http://www.younglife.org.au/articles.php?feature=001 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"> Lindsay, J. (2009). Young Australians and the staging of intoxication and self control. //Journal of Youth Studies//, 12 (4), 371-384. Retrieved from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11pt;">http://www.tandfonline.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/doi/pdf/10.1080/13676260902866520

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: justify;"> McCrindle, M. (2010, February 5). Many ingredients make this gen Y cocktail of violence. //The Age//. Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/many-ingredients-make-this-gen-y-cocktail-of-violence-20100204-ng35.html <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: justify;"> McCrindle, M. (n.d). Understanding Generation Y. Retrieved from http://www.learningtolearn.sa.edu.au/colleagues/files/links/understandinggeny.pdf

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;"> Patterson, B. (2007, July 08). A-Z of Generation Y. //Sunday Herald Sun//. Retrieved from <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;"> http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/sunday-heraldsun/a-z-of-generation-y/story-e6frf92f-1111113909372

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: justify;"> Promar International. (2001). Generation Y: Winning Snack Strategies. Retrieved from http://www.promarinternational.com/pdfs/IndustryStrategicStudies/ConsumerInsights/Gen%20Y%20snacks%20management%20summary.pdf <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;"> Royal Children’s Hospital. (2010). Youth Suicide in Australia. Retrieved from http://www.rch.org.au/cah/research.cfm?doc_id=11036

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: justify;"> State Government Victoria. (2009). Teenagers – sexual behavior. Retrieved from http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Teenagers_sexual_behaviour <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"> Wilson, H., Bryant, J., Holt, M., & Treloar, C. (2010). Normalisation of Recreational drug use among young people: Evidence about accessibility and contact with other drug users. //Health Sociology Review//, 19 (2), 164 -175. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11pt;">doi: 10.5172/hesr.2010.19.2.164

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: justify;"> Woodman, W. (2011, March 10). We love labels, but should know the limits before libeling Gen Y. //The Age.// Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/we-love-labels-but-should-know-the-limits-before-libelling-gen-y-20110309-1bnxz.html <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: justify;"> Yan, S. (2006, December 8). Understanding Generation Y. //The Oberlin Review.// Retrieved from http://www.oberlin.edu/stupub/ocreview/2006/12/08/features/Understanding_Generation_Y.html