Hormones drive individual and group behavior, and hormone levels define the average decision an individual makes. So yes, hormones drive mass behavior. I will once again refer to menstrual cycle and puberty, as both of those are driven by a biological clock, and they both have physiological effects as well as mental effects that go hand in hand. Another example is that millennials are cooperative and the mothers have high breastfeeding rates; both of these are traits of high oxytocin levels. This is how generational traits are formed, be they physiological, mental or even ideological. The cycle repeats every 80 years with distinct phases for each generation. This is the same for cyclical populations of lemmings and voles, they act according to the current hormone levels in the cycle.
The hormone levels are mostly set at birth, which for example explains why Boomers (and many in Gen X) have a tendency to use alcohol more than the other generations, as they have low oxytocin levels, but millennials use much less alcohol due to higher oxytocin levels. But it seems that the hormone levels are also somewhat impacted through life, because the alcohol consumption goes down for all generations during a 3rd turning once the oxytocin curve starts to go climb. Once the oxytocin levels go lower again during a 4th turning, boomers increase drinking, but the younger generations not so much: https://www.businessinsider.com/millenni...?r=US&IR=T
"Again, a decline in drinking has been tied to several factors, such as the tendency of younger generations to be more concerned about their health and to favor marijuana over booze. But according to the market-research firm Mintel, another reason is that younger people are seeking control in the face of constant social-media surveillance."
If someone is asked why they don't want to drink, they come up with all kinds of explanations, like health or money. This is because humans have a tendency to explain their behavior in acceptable ways. But in the end, the choices are made by our hormone levels. The latter sentence is true though, as most people want to conform, not stand out as someone who behaves differently from others in their groups, which mostly consist of individuals of their own generation. The correct answer to "Why don't you drink?" would be "I don't feel like it." or "It doesn't get me very happy.", but such honest answers are hard to come by. How can you explain something that the other person can't feel and thus can't really understand? It's difficult.
No cyclical populations of voles or lemmings have been offered alcohol, but mice for instance drink less alcohol when they have more oxytocin, so we're not that different from mice. But it is quite certain that if lemmings were given a steady supply of alcohol, they would drink it according to the oxytocin levels that vary according to their population cycle. And if they were asked why they don't drink (and they could communicate) during the high point of their oxytocin cycle, would they answer "It's because now we have higher oxytocin levels."? No, they would probably come up with different excuses for their behavior. This is why if one were to write a book about lemming generations, it would be basically Generations or The Fourth Turning of lemmings. This is why I believe that Strauss & Howe found the biological generational cycle of humans, but they didn't realize that it's all about cyclical hormone levels between generations. (And how could they have known, oxytocin and vasopressin are only now being seriously researched, their impact to social behavior was still almost a complete mystery during the 20th century.)
Humans think they're in charge of their lives, not hormones, but if that was the case, there would be no (unwanted) addiction, no obesity, no sex, no xenophobia, etc. Hormones have an effect how rewarding a day at work is, and this has been studied even on a tribal level in Bolivia. Testosterone levels go down after a hunt and oxytocin levels increase to make the hunters share their catch of the day with their family (and tribe if the catch is a big one). I believe that this is the basic mechanism why low oxytocin generations, Boomers and Gen X, want to share less with others, and keep more to themselves, and this is why they vote right and for lower taxes. Left leaning voters, Millennials and Gen Z, have a higher interest in sharing the catch, so they are more socialist and believe more in collective sharing. (An individual's life path of course has a large impact on this, and group think has an big impact, but once again, our groups mostly consist of individuals from our own generation, especially best friends, which is why a generations are so unified in their traits.)
The hormone levels are mostly set at birth, which for example explains why Boomers (and many in Gen X) have a tendency to use alcohol more than the other generations, as they have low oxytocin levels, but millennials use much less alcohol due to higher oxytocin levels. But it seems that the hormone levels are also somewhat impacted through life, because the alcohol consumption goes down for all generations during a 3rd turning once the oxytocin curve starts to go climb. Once the oxytocin levels go lower again during a 4th turning, boomers increase drinking, but the younger generations not so much: https://www.businessinsider.com/millenni...?r=US&IR=T
"Again, a decline in drinking has been tied to several factors, such as the tendency of younger generations to be more concerned about their health and to favor marijuana over booze. But according to the market-research firm Mintel, another reason is that younger people are seeking control in the face of constant social-media surveillance."
If someone is asked why they don't want to drink, they come up with all kinds of explanations, like health or money. This is because humans have a tendency to explain their behavior in acceptable ways. But in the end, the choices are made by our hormone levels. The latter sentence is true though, as most people want to conform, not stand out as someone who behaves differently from others in their groups, which mostly consist of individuals of their own generation. The correct answer to "Why don't you drink?" would be "I don't feel like it." or "It doesn't get me very happy.", but such honest answers are hard to come by. How can you explain something that the other person can't feel and thus can't really understand? It's difficult.
No cyclical populations of voles or lemmings have been offered alcohol, but mice for instance drink less alcohol when they have more oxytocin, so we're not that different from mice. But it is quite certain that if lemmings were given a steady supply of alcohol, they would drink it according to the oxytocin levels that vary according to their population cycle. And if they were asked why they don't drink (and they could communicate) during the high point of their oxytocin cycle, would they answer "It's because now we have higher oxytocin levels."? No, they would probably come up with different excuses for their behavior. This is why if one were to write a book about lemming generations, it would be basically Generations or The Fourth Turning of lemmings. This is why I believe that Strauss & Howe found the biological generational cycle of humans, but they didn't realize that it's all about cyclical hormone levels between generations. (And how could they have known, oxytocin and vasopressin are only now being seriously researched, their impact to social behavior was still almost a complete mystery during the 20th century.)
Humans think they're in charge of their lives, not hormones, but if that was the case, there would be no (unwanted) addiction, no obesity, no sex, no xenophobia, etc. Hormones have an effect how rewarding a day at work is, and this has been studied even on a tribal level in Bolivia. Testosterone levels go down after a hunt and oxytocin levels increase to make the hunters share their catch of the day with their family (and tribe if the catch is a big one). I believe that this is the basic mechanism why low oxytocin generations, Boomers and Gen X, want to share less with others, and keep more to themselves, and this is why they vote right and for lower taxes. Left leaning voters, Millennials and Gen Z, have a higher interest in sharing the catch, so they are more socialist and believe more in collective sharing. (An individual's life path of course has a large impact on this, and group think has an big impact, but once again, our groups mostly consist of individuals from our own generation, especially best friends, which is why a generations are so unified in their traits.)
Generational hormone theory: https://jannemiettinen.fi/FourthTurning/