Gen Z Leads in Reporting Psychic Abilities at Work

Gen Z individuals are increasingly reporting "psychic" abilities and relying on intuitive feelings to navigate their professional lives, according to a 2026 Talker Research survey. Hannah Bruns, an aesthetician based in Baltimore, shared her experience of quitting her job based on a strong "little voice" in her head, a phenomenon she attributes to her Saturn Return, an astrological transit. Bruns described this feeling as an inexplicable "knowing," similar to anticipating a sunrise. This reliance on internal guidance is becoming more prevalent among younger generations, with Gen Z being the most likely to identify as psychic. The survey indicates that Gen Z experiences twice as many "psychic moments" per month compared to baby boomers, such as anticipating what someone will say or thinking of someone just before they text. The Talker Research survey, which polled 2,000 adults, explored how Americans utilize intuition, defined as the feeling of "just knowing," in their daily lives. The findings suggest a significant portion of the workforce, particularly those who have experienced job market instability and "forever layoffs," are turning to intuition as a guiding force in career decisions, often in lieu of trusting employers for long-term security. A third of respondents reported sensing when something is "off" without a clear explanation, and 26% indicated they can feel when it is appropriate to disengage from a situation. Bruns further elaborated on this bodily awareness, stating, "I know pretty quickly, in my body, when something’s not right. It’s almost like my whole body tenses up." From a scientific perspective, intuition is understood as unconscious pattern recognition. Psychology and neuroscience suggest that various brain processes can facilitate access to a deeper level of understanding beyond conscious thought. This phenomenon, while often framed in mystical terms, can be explained by the brain's capacity to process subtle cues and past experiences to generate rapid, non-conscious judgments. The survey's data highlights a generational shift in how individuals perceive and utilize these internal signals, particularly within the context of career development and decision-making in an uncertain economic climate. The research underscores the growing importance of subjective experience and internal guidance systems in professional contexts, challenging traditional reliance solely on external validation or employer assurances.