Political Generations and the Acceptance or Rejection of Nuclear Warfare¹

Abstract

The paper examines differential attitudes toward the use in war of nuclear weapons among age strata, analyzed from the perspective of political generations. Data for the study came from a probability sample of 477 adults living in a metropolitan area. On the basis of historical events and the differing climates of public opinion pertaining to war, three political generations are discriminated: Dissent (those born 1943–1949), Cold War (those born 1927–1942), and World War II (those born before 1927). Results suggest the viability of political generations thus defined. The generation of Dissent is most likely to reject nuclear war, while those of the generation of World War II are most likely to accept nuclear warfare. The basic relationship between age and attitudes toward nuclear war is examined within the context of occupation, sex, fear of communism, and patriotism.

The Psychology of Politics

“…Vincent Jeffries (1974) studied this topic by interviewing 477 Caucasian adults living in the greater Los Angeles area in 1970. Jeffries asked: should the United States be ready to use nuclear weapons?…”

Age Differences and Dimensions of Religious Behavior

“…When life-course (aging) assumptions shape age strata into life cycle stages representing biological, psychological, social-economic, or political stages, members of a given stratum are presumed to have some homogeneity in status, performance, capacities, or constraints which give salience to their similarity. Likewise, when age cohorts or generations are defined, they are presumed to have been uniquely influenced by historical trends or other significant historical events, such as those defined by Jeffries (1974) in studying attitudes toward nuclear war.…”

The Peace and Love Generation: Changing Attitudes toward Sex and Violence among College Youth

“…While differences in the composition of the two samples could account for some of the difference in response, the magnitude of these differences strongly suggests the effects of an important change in the climate of student opinion over the decade. Jeffries (1974) reports finding his youngest age cohort (those aged 2 1-27 years) and the white collar as opposed to blue collar group to be least likely to accept the use of nuclear weapons in defense of national interests.…”