Causing Trouble Without a Simple "Sorry"... The Reason Behind the 'Gen Z Stare' Revealed

Average Daily Spoken Words Drops by 415 Among Those Under 25
'Gen Z Stare' Spreads from Cafes and Daily Life to the Workplace

"While our whole team was busy dealing with a mistake made by a new employee, they just kept staring at us without saying even a simple 'sorry' or 'thank you' until the end."

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The so-called "Gen Z Stare" (a portmanteau of "Gen Z" and "Stare"), where people simply gaze blankly instead of responding to questions or greetings in daily life such as in cafes, is now spreading to the workplace. The reason behind this phenomenon has recently been scientifically validated.

According to The Washington Post on September 3 (local time), a study published in the academic journal "Perspectives on Psychological Science" in July analyzed the speaking habits of 2,197 people aged 10 to 94. The results showed that over time, people are speaking less out loud.

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Valeria Pfeifer, a professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, reanalyzed research data collected from the daily conversations of 2,197 people aged 10 to 94. She found that from 2005 to 2019, the number of spoken words per day decreased by approximately 300 each year, which amounts to a 28 percent reduction in total verbal output over 14 years. The amount of time spent talking each day also declined annually by two to three minutes.

This decrease was particularly pronounced among people under 25 years old. The researchers explained, "Younger people are more likely to communicate via text or social media," adding, "When verbal communication shifts to text, younger generations are likely to lose more spoken words than older adults."

The issue is that as direct spoken conversations diminish, an individual's cognition and social skills may deteriorate. At restaurants, kiosks have replaced the conversations that once happened during ordering. And when people have questions, they turn to generative AI for answers, leading to a decline in human interaction.

Short video parodying "Genji Stair." TikTok capture @Duyuja

A satirical TikTok video about "Gen Z Stare." As a woman tries to order a drink, the young employee remains silent and stares intently at the customer. Instagram capture @leendadong

In fact, a Korean netizen shared their experience on social media, noting that the "Gen Z Stare" has now spread to the work environment. This individual, who works in sales and frequently meets clients, said, "They maintain a blank expression every day. They don't use any facial muscles and only engage in absolutely necessary conversations, which has often made things difficult."

On the other hand, some argue that "if you can't organize your thoughts right away, you need a few seconds to just stare." Another user, who identified themselves as being in their 40s, said that this is not just a young people's issue: "Sometimes I deliberately avoid starting conversations because I don't want to waste energy by interacting with others unnecessarily."

Cal Newport, a professor at Georgetown University, noted that people are speaking less because face-to-face interaction can be challenging. "The problem is," he explained, "our social brains interpret it as an important signal when we devote time and attention to someone else. Ironically, the easier social activities become, the less connected we are and the more our social skills decline."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.