Buzz
During elementary school, having friends from other grades can serve as a mark of social status. While hanging out with younger kids might be viewed negatively, connecting with older students seems to indicate you’re doing something right. It’s curious, as the age difference in these scenarios is often just a year or two.
As we grow older, it seems odd to limit our social circles to people born around the same time. In reality, many of us have befriended individuals from entirely different generations, and this is beneficial, according to numerous studies. Here are just a few reasons why fostering intergenerational friendships is important—and why you should consider building your own (if you haven’t already).
Intergenerational Friendships Offer Valuable Learning Experiences
In a recent article for Inc., Jessica Stillman explored the research surrounding intergenerational friendships and uncovered strong evidence that they benefit both parties. The most apparent advantage is that they offer the opportunity for both individuals to gain new insights—whether through wisdom and lessons from the past or by staying informed on contemporary trends. This idea is backed by research from the UC Berkeley Greater Good Science Center and a 70-year Harvard happiness study.
Intergenerational Friendships Enhance Our Resilience
With the growing emphasis on resilience this past year, the value of intergenerational friendships has never been more apparent. But how exactly does this work? As Stillman explains, “by offering you a much longer perspective on whatever your current struggles may be, [friendships with older people] can make setbacks feel less catastrophic and permanent.” Furthermore, friendships with younger individuals can provide fresh perspectives on how to approach challenges.
Research from the AARP offers further insights:
A recent survey revealed that 61 percent of people with significantly older friends felt these intergenerational relationships helped them view situations from different angles. Meanwhile, 54 percent of those with younger friends reported the same benefit. Additionally, a similar percentage in both groups (37 and 38 percent, respectively) shared that their friendships helped them value their life experiences more.
Intergenerational Friendships Promote Open-Mindedness
While there's no quick fix for implicit biases, there are ways we can reduce them—and forming intergenerational friendships is an effective approach.
“Being surrounded by different people every day alters those hidden connections in our brain,” explained writer and researcher Rose Eveleth on a recent episode of NPR’s “Life Kit” podcast. “The more diverse the people in your life, the more likely you are to shed those implicit biases you might not want to carry with you.”
Moreover, the societal bias against older individuals is pretty messed up to begin with, especially considering that we’re all aging and will (hopefully) belong to that demographic someday. So, be the kind of friend to someone older (or younger) that you would hope to have in the future.
