“Me, An Empath?”: Value Priorities and Trait Empathy Among Millennials and Generation Z

Abstract

With changing generational composition of the population around the world and with Generation Z entering workforce alongside the Millennials, differences among them are of rising interest to researchers and practitioners. The goal of this study was to quantitatively assess the value priorities and trait empathy of Millennials and Generation Z and to subsequently correlate the same. Past studies evaluating the value priorities of aforementioned generations often reflect inconsistencies with a further lack of focus on Generation Z. Similar contrasting results in the trait empathy scores of these cohorts too have been observed. The current study attempted to address these issues in addition to studying the relationship between values and empathy using the generational lens. This research employed a correlation research design and is cross-sectional in nature. Using convenience and volunteer sampling methods, a total of 78 participants from both generations residing in the United Arab Emirates completed the Portrait Values Questionnaire-21 (PVQ-21) and Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ). Results revealed no significant differences in the mean differences of values between the generations, however both generations rank the highest and the least important values similarly- benevolence and universalism and conformity and power respectively. Generation Z scored slightly higher than Millennials in trait empathy although not statistically meaningful. A positive correlation between empathy with benevolence and universalism and a negative correlation with power and conformity was found. Findings thus suggest that the groups display average trait empathy and are similar in their most and least important values. Further research examining these factors at a longitudinal level will help to achieve a clearer picture of Millennials and Generation Z.