In 2025, an online discussion about Gen Z’s social skills gave birth to the term “Gen Z stare.” This refers to the expressionless faces that older generations sometimes encounter when interacting with young people. Since then, many users have flocked to social media platforms like TikTok to share their awkward interactions with Zoomers. People, including some members of Generation Z, express how the younger generation can seem socially maladjusted. However, the majority of Gen Zers have a different perception of themselves.
According to the CNBC/SurveyMonkey Social Skills Survey conducted in August 2026, Gen Z is just as confident in their interpersonal social skills as any other generation. The study surveyed 1,174 respondents across five generations: Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silent Generations to assess how each group felt about their ability to form social connections.
Among Gen Z respondents, 47% feel “very confident” in their social skill proficiency, and 44% feel “somewhat confident.” For comparison, research shows that 44% of Millennials are “very confident” in their skill set, and 45% are “somewhat confident.” The pollster reports a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
“I think our definition of socializing is changing,” clinical psychologist Sabrina Romanoff told CNBC Make It. The latest tools available to Gen Z have completely changed the way we connect face-to-face.
According to Romanoff, the difference in how people interact between generations stems from the surroundings of their hangouts. While older generations are more open to seeing friends without a clear plan, Gen Zers have a more “performative socializing style” that requires greater coordination, she says. This includes trips and expensive restaurants that involve posting on social media.
In fact, according to Ally’s 2025 study, nearly 60% of Gen Z and Millennials say social spending, like occasional meals with friends or vacations, has derailed their financial plans.
Although Gen Z is confident in their social skills, they also agree with older generations that today’s youth lack a variety of social skills. Across all generations, 62% of respondents said active listening is the skill young people lack most, including 59% of Gen Z.
Additionally, 54% of Gen Z say young people lack confidence when meeting new people, while only 44% of Millennials, 45% of Gen X, 45% of Baby Boomers, and 20% of the Silent Generation feel the same way.
A majority of Gen Z (91%) also want college to help bridge the gap. They prefer small, discussion-based classes, clubs, and internship opportunities as resources that schools can provide to help students hone their in-person social skills.
Romanoff said Gen Z may seem more outgoing to older generations because they have a strong online presence. However, younger generations are more aware of their colleagues’ face-to-face social skills.
Gen Z is “very outgoing, very good-looking, and they have a very strong sense of having a good social life,” Romanoff added.
Romanoff also points out that Gen Z is the first generation to be exposed to modern technology early on. For Gen Z, forming connections through online communities feels much more natural. She says young people are finding a sense of belonging in their “silo” online, a change from the shared experience of older generations of watching the same TV shows as their friends.
Internet communities are a great way to find people with common interests, but Romanoff says they can feel like a “false sense of community” if relationships can’t extend beyond online chat.
Another aspect of the digital age, artificial intelligence, is also impacting people’s face-to-face social skills. All generations agree that AI tools have made people’s social fluency “significantly” or “somewhat” worse. Across all generations, the most common answer was “slightly worse” at 28%, followed by “quite a bit worse” with a difference of 1 point.
The long-term impact of AI on cognitive performance is of great interest to researchers. A well-cited MIT Media Lab study found that short-term AI use had benefits, but over time, AI use reduced participants’ cognitive function. Researchers call this phenomenon the “AI addiction paradox.”
Romanoff added that while technology increases connectivity, it can also buy users time to craft responses, and that digital skills don’t necessarily translate to face-to-face conversations.
“When it comes to meeting in person, it can be very worrying to know how to really communicate in the best way,” Romanoff said. “Sometimes we receive so much help that we are not able to grow and develop our muscles on our own.”
