Remember back to the year 2000? We survived the Y2K computer scare and were tired of the Presidential election intrigue. We also wanted to sit across from Regis Philbin and use our life lines to score big money (Who Wants to be a Millionaire?). It was a great year! For some individuals the television shows and movies popular around this time will hold a special value, e.g., Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dawson’s Creek, and I Know What You Did Last Summer.
A number of studies have indicated that individuals use events that occurred during their adolescent and early adulthood years as a way to define themselves and their “generation” (Fitzgerald, 1988; Robinson, 1992; Schuman & Scott, 1989; Sehulster, 1996).
Do the television shows and movies of 2000 with their accompanying stars hold a special value for you? Are these in your generational memory? Take the following Y2K Teen Star Quiz and see.
Instructions:The following table lists teen stars of the year 2000 in the center column; the right column lists the television shows and movies that they starred in. Your task is to match the teen star to their corresponding movie/show; to match the star to the show, place the show number in the first column. If you are correct, the name of the movie will appear; if you are incorrect, it will state “INCORRECT” and you will have the opportunity to enter another response.
While you will likely know some of the names, others will be less familiar. If you need a hint to help you match the teen star to their movie/show, place your computer mouse over the teen star’s name and a picture of the star will appear.
Suggested Readings on Generational Memory
Fitzgerald, J.M. (1988). Vivid memories and the reminiscence phenomenon: The role of a self narrative. Human Development, 31, 261-273.
Fitzgerald, J.M., & Lawrence, R. (1984). Autobiographical memory across the life-span. Journal of Gerontology, 39, 692-698.
Robinson, J. (1992). First experience memories: Contexts and functions in personal histories. In M. Conway, D. Rubin, H. Spinnler, & W. Wagenaar (Eds.), Theoretical perspectives on autobiographical memory (pp. 223-239). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Schuman, H., & Scott, J. (1989). Generations and collective memories. American Sociological Review, 54, 359-381.
Sehulster, J.R. (1996). In my era: Evidence for the perception of a special period of the past. Memory, 4, 145-158.