Cohorteffekter

Cohorteffekter, also known as cohort effects, refer to influences on a group of people who share a common time of birth or experience. These effects can impact their attitudes, behaviors, and outcomes throughout their lives. Individuals born within the same period, or who have experienced a significant historical event together, often develop shared characteristics due to their common social, cultural, and historical context. For example, a generation that grew up during a major economic depression might exhibit different financial habits and attitudes towards security compared to a generation that came of age during an economic boom.

These effects are distinct from age effects, which describe changes that occur naturally as individuals age, and period effects, which describe changes that affect everyone in a society at a particular time regardless of their age or cohort. Cohort effects are particularly relevant in longitudinal studies, where researchers track the same individuals over extended periods. Researchers must account for cohort effects to accurately interpret developmental trends and avoid attributing all observed differences solely to aging. Understanding cohort effects helps researchers and policymakers better understand generational differences and their implications for social and economic planning.