Overview of the Study

Although some characteristics may look similar to the Millennial Generation, Generation Z possesses a whole new set of attributes and experiences that shape what they believe about the world and how they may engage in the U.S. political system. And, given that a large share of young people today identify as independent (Seemiller & Grace, 2019), their perceptions and behaviors may be less anticipated. In this study, we aimed to uncover the perspectives of the voting-aged segment (those born 1995-2001) of those in Generation Z on politics prior to the 2020 election with a goal of better understanding their possible voting behaviors, opinions of the political system and critical issues, political ideologies, and news consumption.

In this study, survey participants were recruited through personal and professional networks who will be asked to share the survey information and link with prospective participants. In addition, participants were recruited through direct posting on social media sites, websites, and in emails. Subjects were asked to anonymously provide their perspectives and opinions through both forced-choice and open-ended questions in an online survey housed in Qualtrics through Wright State University. Because this study was only about a specific segment of Generation Z students (those born 1995-2001), only those who fall in this birth range were eligible for this study. There was a screening question at the beginning of the survey to determine those who met the qualifications. Once data was collected, it was analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively by both investigators.

• Data Collection: October 2019-December 2019
• States: 34/50 represented
• Institutions: Did not ask
• Survey N: 1246

Publications

The findings were included in a collaborative report compiled by The Gen Z Hub and Ologie. A huge thank you to Ologie for the design efforts behind the report. Ologie is a branding and marketing agency that works with clients who advance the greater good. They are a team of strategic thinkers, creative problem solvers, and bold storytellers. Together, they help organizations define their purpose, convey their story, and achieve their goals through a full range of media, including print, digital, environmental, social, and video. For more information visit ologie.com.