Boomers are huggers, Gen Z fakes phone calls: How greetings differ across generations

First impression start at hello, but what hello looks like can differ from place to place, and even by generation—whether it’s a cheek kiss, a handshake, or speeding up and walking away as quickly as possible. Language-learning platform Preply surveyed over 1,000 Americans on their views about greetings. Here are the key take aways:



Americans like to say hello from a distance: 60% of respondents said they prefer a handshake when meeting strangers, 47% said they prefer to smile. In fact, 20% of Americans said they are not comfortable with physical contact when meeting someone. Regional differences: The top five most welcoming states were Vermont, Maine, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Louisiana. The bottom five were Kansas, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Missouri. South Dakotans say their preference is to avoid strangers completely, while Delaware residents prefer faking a phone call to avoid having to say hello. Generational differences: Baby boomers were the most comfortable with physical contact and said hugging is their favorite way of saying hello, while Gen X was the least comfortable with physical contact. Almost 30% of Gen Z said they find physical contact awkward and would fake a phone call to avoid having to say hello. Millennials, meanwhile, said they opt for a handshake. Side note: Interestingly, more than a quarter of respondents to a COVID-19-era Fast Company -Harris Poll said they would be happy to never shake someone’s hand again.



“If a place seems less gesture-oriented, it doesn’t mean they’re not friendly; they just communicate differently,” Sylvia Johnson, a language expert, commented. “These differences make our interactions rich and diverse. This is a big part of how a place can seem welcoming or not, reminding us that so much of how we connect goes beyond words.”