Maximum differentiation scheme: An introduction to the disjunctive APC approach to finding unique generational differences in social sciences

Abstract In this article, the author applies a self-developed disjunctive approach to APC analysis in social sciences using original maximum differentiation scheme. This approach shifts the focus from the analysis of effects to a selected generation / cohort. The scheme is used to find unique characteristics of the studied generation / cohort that differ them from other contemporaries. The disjunctive approach enriched the theoretical area and, using the European Values Study database (2022) as an example, showed that the unique characteristic of Generation X (born from 1965 to 1981) in five European countries (Denmark, Spain, Italy, France and the Netherlands) is only the low level of importance of politics in life. The obtained results are robust and are a reliable indicator of unique generational characteristics without the need for assumptions and predictions.