Is this the same generation? Changes in the reading habits of young people in Szeged over a decade

Abstract

The KAPOCS Research Group's Cultural Research Workshop, as the first two stages of a trend study, examined the attitude of 10-18 year-olds in Szeged towards reading ten years apart. The first comprehensive questionnaire survey of the reading habits of Szeged pupils in this age group was carried out in 2011. At that time, we surveyed the first Generation Z classes in upper secondary and secondary schools using paper-based questionnaires. In 2022, we reached the end of the same generation, now using online questionnaires. In both surveys, more than 700 young people were sampled. Our aim was to capture changes in reading frequency, tools, perceptions, library and media usage over the past decade or more. The responses allow for a multidimensional comparison, as we had the opportunity to compare the indicators of upper and middle school students in both years studied, but also to observe how the classic Generation Z has been shaped over 11 years. We can see how the e-generation has taken shape and how reading habits and preferences have changed. Comparisons were further enhanced by the fact that in the meantime, national surveys had been conducted to draw inspiration from and cross-check results.