Interesting point there Pukka. Successive newer generation have been brought up in an environment that encourages them to question and seek justification if required to do something that doesn't quite fit, ergo, the 'older' generation have to be more willing to justify their demands. It's understandable if that cultural change may get mistaken for arrogance and competitiveness by the elders on occasion. Especially in a conservative industry like ours.
I guess a rudimentary test for this would be to assess behaviours of Captains and FOs from similar generations when crewed together. Would their communications be more collaborative, conciliatory than crews from different generations? How you would objectively assess that I don't know - one for the psychologists.