Which Generation is Believed to Be Intellectually Superior and Which Generation Believes Itself Intellectually Superior?

Abstract

The question of which generation is believed to be intellectually superior, and which generation believes itself to be intellectually superior led to the interviewing of 317 adults equally divided among three generations. All generations agreed in believing that: a) the middle aged know the most in general and have the greatest problem-solving ability; while b) young adults have the greatest desire for intellectual stimulation (with the old the least); they make the most attempts to receive intellectual stimulation (with the old making the fewest); they have the most opportunities for intellectual stimulation (with the old having the fewest), and the young adults actually receive the most intellectual stimulation (while the old receive the least). Young adults' self-report indicated that they believed that they had the most opportunities for intellectual stimulation and also were more frequently in receipt of intellectual stimulation as compared with the self-reports of the middle aged and old.