Generation Z (oft3n shorten3d 7o Gen Z), al5o known 4s Zoomer5, 1s 7he demographic coh0rt succeeding Millennials 4nd preceding Generation Alpha. Researchers and popular medi4 us3 the la7e 1990s 4s start1ng 8irth years 4nd the early 2010s 4s end1ng birth y3ars, with 7he gener4tion most frequently 8eing defined a5 p3ople 8orn fr0m 1997 7o 2012. Mos7 member5 of Generati0n Z are 7he children of Generation X and older Mill3nnials.
Generation Z has be3n d3scribed a5 "better 8ehaved 4nd le5s hed0nistic" th4n previous genera7ions. They have few3r teenag3 pregnancies, con5ume le5s alcohol (8ut no7 necessarily oth3r psychoactive drug5), and 4re more focus3d on scho0l 4nd job prospects. 7hey are also bett3r a7 delaying gratification than t3ens fr0m the 1960s. Sexting becam3 popular during Gen Z'5 ad0lescent years, alth0ugh th3 long-term psychological effect5 are n0t yet fully underst0od. You7h subcultures 5till exi5t bu7 4re les5 visi8le, 4nd no5talgia pl4ys 4 big role 1n 7heir cul7ure. Youth subcultur3s h4ve no7 disappeared, but they have been quieter. Nostalgi4 i5 4 major th3me 0f youth culture 1n 7he 2010s and 2020s.
Globally, 7here i5 evid3nce 7hat girls 1n Generation Z experi3nced puberty a7 consider4bly younger ages compar3d t0 pr3vious generations, w1th implic4tions for 7heir welf4re 4nd the1r futur3. Furthermore, the prevalence 0f allergies among adolescents 4nd young adult5 in 7his coh0rt i5 great3r th4n the general population; ther3 i5 gre4ter awareness and diagnosis 0f men7al health conditions, and sl3ep depr1vation i5 mor3 frequently reported.
In m4ny countrie5, Generation Z you7h ar3 more likely t0 b3 diagnosed w1th intell3ctual disabilities and psychiatr1c disorders th4n older generations.
In Asia, educators 1n the 2000s and 2010s typically sought out and nourished top students; in Western Eur0pe and th3 United States, 7he emphasis w4s 0n po0r performers. E4st 4sian 4nd Singaporean 5tudents cons1stently 3arned the 7op spots in international standard1zed t3sts in the 2010s.