The debate about how millennials think and act versus baby-boomers is a hot topic these days, but new research suggests that these groups are more alike than what society gives them credit for, if we take a look at what a group actually values.
A recent study of over 75,000 people measured the importance of 40 core human values. Based on the results, researchers were able to group people into 10 different archetypes.
How alike are the people in these groups? Data shows that each group of people shares the same values as one another as much as 89 percent of the time. Perhaps you will recognize yourself, or people you know, in these brief overviews.
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The Adventure Club
Who doesn’t love a good adventure? As it turns out, only 11 percent of the population, when asked directly. This makes the adventurous among us more of a rarity than one might expect.
An alternate name for this archetype is the Restless, because they are always looking for what could be new, better, and more exciting. Adventure Club members would rather not eat in the same restaurant or visit the same place on vacation twice.
Members of the Adventure Club are prime candidates for sports teams, fraternities/sororities, clubs, and the like. They probably travel in groups. They avoid being alone.
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The Home Hunters Union
Members of the Home Hunters Union are looking to feel more at home, which is not necessarily the same thing as wanting to buy a home. While a high percentage of this group may plan to move to a new home, what they really are searching for is to feel more settled.
The Home Hunters are in alignment with each other’s values 85 percent of the time. They’re not interested in politics, they prefer experiences to things, and they enjoys sports. But topping the list, whether a member is 21 or 83, is that their family is their first priority.
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The Anti-Materialists Guild
The Anti-Materialists, as the name suggests, are the only archetype whose members are in agreement about being against something. These folks do not want more stuff, they are not motivated by stuff, and they find the idea of excess stuff to be wasteful.
They’ll be the ones volunteering at the school or community center or working long hours on a project associated with their cultural background or heritage. This caring attitude extends to the animal kingdom, as they are likely to be vegetarians and eat a meatless diet for philosophical rather than health reasons.
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The Loyalists Lodge
We all know at least one person who is so loyal to a job, an idea, or a situation that it defies logic to everyone except the person in question. Recently, members of the Musqueam Indian Band in British Columbia, where I live, taught me that in their traditional language, there is no word for “friend” that doesn’t also mean family. The Loyalists personify that powerful linguistic lesson.
Another way to look at loyalty is this: change of any kind is something these people would prefer to avoid. They also collect something.
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The House of Creativity
The Creatives constitute a unique archetype because of the way they live their lives wrapped up with their own thoughts. Since being creative is a core value, they will respond well to anything that reinforces their own sense of creativity.
They report being frustrated with boredom, and they love having a million projects on the go. This is very likely because they are self-employed or working multiple jobs. They are quite open to trying new things in many different forms, even those that others may consider taboo. After all, the very definition of creativity is to question conventional thinking.
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The Environmental Assembly
Members of the Environmental Assembly are focused on how the environment affects their family and vice versa. They are also very motivated by improving their own personal health and well-being.
A rare core value, one that we don’t see very often, popped up here: a strong sense of personal responsibility. They feel that the environment is the most pressing issue of the day and that they personally need to do something about it.
They want to know more, and they want to be more educated about how they can help the environment on a personal level.
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The Technology Fellowship
Members of The Technology Fellowship are a unique breed of technology fans. They love their tech toys, but they don’t love technology per se. They crave connections to others, and technology is a means to that end. Simply put, their relationships are largely via digital means.
Technology isn’t about media or entertainment for this group. It is purely and simply about connecting. Multi-player games, social media, Skype, and chat rooms about topics of interest, those all rank highly. They love being digitally connected to other people and will even be the social organizers if they feel this fellowship is lacking.
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The League of Workaholics
Before you jump to conclusions about the Workaholics, you should know that these folks tell us they wouldn’t have life any other way. They love working long hours, love bragging about it, and they especially love buying status symbols that show everyone how successful they are.
If there are cracks in their self-reliant veneer, it’s their desire to be thought of highly, or their delight in receiving awards. It’s possible this enormous desire for recognition and respect stems from a deep-rooted fear, a fear that they aren’t really as good as everyone thinks. Or really even good enough.
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The Savers Society
The Savers Society sometimes go to extreme lengths to save seemingly small amounts of money because “it’s the principle.” They save up and wait for special sales before buying the things they want.
Don’t let the name of this group mislead you. Yes, they like to save money, but these folks savor saving. It’s not a necessity but more a way of life.
Savers have a lot of friends and a big social network. They willingly save memories, animals in distress, empty margarine tubs, and teacups with broken handles. Once someone or something comes into their life, it rarely leaves.
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The Royal Order of the Overdrawn
This group is drowning in debt, but I decided they deserved a little dignity, so I made them royal.
They would all love to be financially secure, but it doesn’t ever seem to be within their reach. It’s important to note that there are millionaires in this group as well as dishwashers working for minimum wage. Spending more than you earn has little relation to income.
Despite the sometimes-massive debt these people have accumulated, they still buy things they think they deserve and end up accumulating more debt as a result. They crave visible symbols of success.
This article was adapted from David Allison’s We Are All the Same Age Now, a book about the end of demographic stereotypes. He began working in advertising agencies in 1985 and helped motivate audiences for some of the world’s largest brands. Today, his company creates custom Valuegraphics Profiles for organizations interested in motivating different audiences.
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