MARC

LEADER 00000nab a2200000uu 4500
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022 |a 1468-4527 
022 |a 1468-4535 
022 |a 0309-314X 
022 |a 1353-2642 
024 7 |a 10.1108/OIR-09-2023-0453  |2 doi 
035 |a 3150292204 
045 2 |b d20250101  |b d20250214 
084 |a 36206  |2 nlm 
100 1 |a Lissitsa, Sabina  |u School of Communication, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel 
245 1 |a Generations X, Y, Z: the effects of personal and positional inequalities on critical thinking digital skills 
260 |b Emerald Group Publishing Limited  |c 2025 
513 |a Journal Article 
520 3 |a PurposeIn a time of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation, critical thinking has become the most important skill for discerning false, incomplete, and outdated information and communication online. The study examines the effects of personal (gender, age, ethnicity, religiosity, and Big Five personality traits) and positional inequalities (education, occupational status, language proficiency) on critical thinking digital skills (CTDS) among generations X, Y, and Z.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was conducted among 1,495 Israeli Jews between the ages of 18 and 57, belonging to the X, Y, and Z generations.FindingsThe findings show that CTDS among Gen X were significantly lower, by a large margin, than those of the younger generations, while Gen Z reported the highest level of these skills. Multivariate analysis indicated different effect patterns of personal and positional categorical variables on CTDS. We found that the contribution of personal demographic inequalities (gender, age, ethnicity and religiosity) to the explained variance in CTDS was most pronounced in Gen Y, compared to Gen X and Gen Z. The contribution of Big Five personality traits and positional social inequalities (education, occupational status and language proficiency) to explaining CTDS was similar between Gen X and Gen Y, but much less pronounced among Gen Z.Practical implicationsUnderstanding the intergenerational differences in CTDS is crucial for tailoring educational approaches, promoting inclusivity, and harnessing the diverse strengths of each generation to navigate an ever-evolving digital landscape successfully.Originality/valueFirst of its kind, this study combines Generational Cohort Theory with Resources and Appropriation Theory to identify which inequalities may hinder the acquisition of one of today’s most vital skills among three generations. 
653 |a Generational differences 
653 |a Demographic variables 
653 |a Generation Z 
653 |a Age differences 
653 |a Skills 
653 |a Generations 
653 |a Task analysis 
653 |a Labor market 
653 |a COVID-19 
653 |a Internet access 
653 |a Education 
653 |a Multivariate analysis 
653 |a Personality 
653 |a False information 
653 |a Critical thinking 
653 |a Inequality 
653 |a Digital literacy 
653 |a Religiosity 
653 |a Occupational status 
653 |a Language proficiency 
653 |a Appropriation 
653 |a Jewish people 
653 |a Social inequality 
653 |a Ethnicity 
653 |a Five factor model 
653 |a Resources 
653 |a Generation X 
653 |a Gender 
653 |a Personality traits 
653 |a Competence 
653 |a Educational inequality 
653 |a Millennials 
653 |a Misinformation 
653 |a Visual Learning 
653 |a World Problems 
653 |a Cultural Capital 
653 |a Predominantly White Institutions 
653 |a Influence of Technology 
653 |a Cognitive Processes 
653 |a Individualized Instruction 
653 |a 21st Century Skills 
653 |a Interpersonal Competence 
653 |a Skill Development 
653 |a Work Environment 
653 |a Thinking Skills 
653 |a Social Environment 
653 |a Cognitive Ability 
653 |a Resource Allocation 
773 0 |t Online Information Review  |g vol. 49, no. 1 (2025), p. 35-54 
786 0 |d ProQuest  |t ABI/INFORM Global 
856 4 1 |3 Citation/Abstract  |u https://www.proquest.com/docview/3150292204/abstract/embedded/7BTGNMKEMPT1V9Z2?source=fedsrch 
856 4 0 |3 Full Text  |u https://www.proquest.com/docview/3150292204/fulltext/embedded/7BTGNMKEMPT1V9Z2?source=fedsrch 
856 4 0 |3 Full Text - PDF  |u https://www.proquest.com/docview/3150292204/fulltextPDF/embedded/7BTGNMKEMPT1V9Z2?source=fedsrch