Jaipur, India — Forward-thinking companies like Yubo place value on supporting modern interactions.
Throughout the span of time, social interactions have taken place in the physical world. From small talk between acquaintances to meaningful conversations, social interactions have traditionally required face-to-face involvement. The invention and widespread adoption of the telephone innovated modern social interactions, creating a need for participants to alter how they perceive voice tonality and inflection, without the ability to physically see the other participant on the call. Now, with the widespread adoption of digitally-based interaction, Gen Z is leading the charge for modernizing communication once more.
Gen Z is Poised to Shake Up Traditional Dynamics
Enter Gen Z, the fast-growing cohort born between 1997 and 2010. In fact, says Insider Intelligence, Gen Z currently makes up 27 percent of the United States population. By 2026, 82 million Gen Zers will be on the books, and many of them will be dipping their feet into interpersonal dynamics.
Interpersonal Relationship Topics Trend on Yubo
As tech-savvy digital natives, Gen Zers have grown up with social media and video-sharing platforms. That explains why they’ve gravitated to Yubo, a rapidly growing social video live streaming platform with a global reach. Yubo fans chat with friends (and make new ones), play digital games, and otherwise enjoy some welcomed downtime with the company of others looking to do the same.
In 2021, Gen Zers livestreamed over six million interpersonal relationship-focused Yubo chats, making it one of the year’s top-trending topics on the platform. As 2021 wrapped up, Yubo team members asked Gen Zers to share their thoughts on varied aspects of interpersonal relationships.
How Gen Zers View Interpersonal Relationships
Gen Zers continue to shake up numerous established societal norms. Whether they’re redefining gender roles, boldly advocating for a favorite social cause, or going against the grain on their product preferences, they are always challenging the status quo. Therefore, it’s not surprising that they’ve applied this paradigm shift to their meaningful relationships.
How Gen Zers Get Together
Gen Zers are supremely comfortable with digital technology, and social media has always been a part of their lives. In fact, social media provides Gen Zers with the ability to connect with others in different countries and on other continents.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, mandatory lockdowns meant that, for many, connecting via social media was the only option available. For Gen Zers, this meant business as usual, as they have always been accustomed to meeting others online. Unlike Millennials, Gen Z does not make a distinction between offline and online socializing.
Purely Digital Relationships
Taking virtual meetups a step further, some Gen Zers utilize technology to forge completely digital relationships. Stated another way, they never meet the other person face-to-face. However, this is a brand-new phenomenon, so the long-term implications of this practice are not clear.
Evolving Gender Preferences
Gen Zers’ identification of multiple genders has factored into their interpersonal relationships. In this context, some Gen Zers feel that traditional gender roles are becoming obsolete. Other Gen Z individuals aren’t willing to go that far, embracing the gender binary in addition to newly identified genders. Recognizing the importance of this facet to their Gen Z user base, Yubo supports gender identification and identity via multiple app features and creates an inclusive space for users to explore their preferences and identities.
Gen Zers Are Creating New Wedding Traditions
Not surprisingly, many innovation-minded Gen Zers who are preparing for their future marriage plan to update existing wedding traditions or start brand-new ones. This creativity will likely extend to wedding venues, bridal party attire, reception offerings, and other components.
Establishing a Wedding Budget
Traditionally, the bride’s parents have paid for the wedding’s costs. Because one-third of Gen Zers plan to cover their own wedding expenses, they will likely need to adhere to a carefully crafted wedding budget. This fiscally responsible attitude reflects Gen Zers’ desire to be financially independent. In another twist, Gen Zers’ desires for travel and experiences may spur them to apply most of their wedding funds toward a honeymoon.
Integrating a Social Benefit Component
Many Gen Zers are socially and politically active, and they have an underlying desire to take actions that benefit others. The Knot’s 2019 survey shows that approximately 60% of respondents wanted to integrate a charity registry into their wedding plans.
To minimize the wedding’s environmental impact, Gen Zers may choose a nearby venue rather than a high-cost destination wedding. Using recyclable and/or environmentally friendly decorations, and supporting local vendors, are other low-impact wedding planning strategies.
Mixed-Gender Wedding Parties
Gen Zers’ acceptance of different genders is reflected in their opinions about their wedding party composition. Kristen Maxwell Cooper, The Knot’s editor in chief, says the survey results indicated that 49% of Gen Zers expect mixed-gender wedding parties to become more prevalent regardless of the engaged couple’s sexual orientation.
“As we usher in a new generation of to-be-engaged couples — and then, to-be-weds — we’re expecting that Gen Z and younger millennials will continue to shatter social norms and make their own traditions when it comes to their future weddings and marriages,” she explains.
“We look forward to seeing more couples — no matter their sexual orientation — incorporate mixed-gender parties into their weddings, with half of Gen Z and millennials believing that this trend will become more popular over time,” Cooper concludes.
Some Gen Zers Say “The One” Doesn’t Exist
Many Gen Zers have embraced the concept of marriage when the time is right. However, in their Yubo debates, others have said that although they’re looking for a rewarding relationship, they don’t believe that only one person can fulfill that role.
Gen Zers Put Their Own Stamp on Interpersonal Relationships
As Gen Zers continue to evolve their relationships, they may well abandon (or at least revise) additional societal norms about meeting and choosing their partners, friends, and acquaintances. As younger members of their cohort enter the adult pool, it’s entirely possible that more significant changes could yet occur. Leading the open-ended conversation about Gen Z social interactions, Yubo is here to help them to explore these new styles of interaction and evolve the way Gen Z and the generations after communicate as authentically as they would in real life.
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