Is Gen Z the First Generation with a Lower IQ?
The Intelligence Gap: Is Gen Z the First Generation with a Lower IQ?
"Is Google making us dumber? A neuroscientist says yes."
Or did they get their reading right?
"Do you feel like your memory has gotten worse since you got a smartphone?"
For over a century, humanity enjoyed a steady climb in average IQ scores, a phenomenon known as the Flynn Effect.
Cognitive Evolution: Gen Z might be "narrower" in traditional logic but "wider" in their ability to navigate complex digital ecosystems and manage multiple streams of information.
"Is Google making us dumber? A neuroscientist says yes."
Or did they get their reading right?
"Do you feel like your memory has gotten worse since you got a smartphone?"
For over a century, humanity enjoyed a steady climb in average IQ scores, a phenomenon known as the Flynn Effect.
Every decade, we seemed to get a little bit sharper. But according to Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, a prominent neuroscientist, that streak has officially ended.
In a recent testimony before U.S. lawmakers, Dr. Horvath delivered a wake-up call: Gen Z (born 1997–2012) may be the first generation in modern history to show lower IQ levels than their parents.
1. The End of the "Flynn Effect"
Since the early 1900s, improved nutrition, better schooling, and environmental factors pushed IQ scores up by roughly 3 points per decade. However, data from several developed nations, including Norway, Denmark, and Britain—suggests a "Reverse Flynn Effect" is now in play.
Instead of going up, scores are plateauing or dipping. Dr. Horvath argues that while our ancestors used technology to extend their capabilities, we are using it to replace them.
2. "Brain Outsourcing": The Digital Crutch
The core of the argument isn't that Gen Z is "less capable," but rather that they are outsourcing critical cognitive functions to their devices.
Memory: Why remember facts when you have Google?
Navigation: Why learn spatial awareness when you have GPS?
Critical Thinking: Why synthesize information when AI can summarize it for you?
Dr. Horvath suggests that when we stop exercising these "mental muscles," the neural pathways associated with them don't develop as robustly.
In a recent testimony before U.S. lawmakers, Dr. Horvath delivered a wake-up call: Gen Z (born 1997–2012) may be the first generation in modern history to show lower IQ levels than their parents.
1. The End of the "Flynn Effect"
Since the early 1900s, improved nutrition, better schooling, and environmental factors pushed IQ scores up by roughly 3 points per decade. However, data from several developed nations, including Norway, Denmark, and Britain—suggests a "Reverse Flynn Effect" is now in play.
Instead of going up, scores are plateauing or dipping. Dr. Horvath argues that while our ancestors used technology to extend their capabilities, we are using it to replace them.
2. "Brain Outsourcing": The Digital Crutch
The core of the argument isn't that Gen Z is "less capable," but rather that they are outsourcing critical cognitive functions to their devices.
Memory: Why remember facts when you have Google?
Navigation: Why learn spatial awareness when you have GPS?
Critical Thinking: Why synthesize information when AI can summarize it for you?
Dr. Horvath suggests that when we stop exercising these "mental muscles," the neural pathways associated with them don't develop as robustly.
We are effectively offloading our intelligence to the cloud.
3. The Crisis of Attention
It’s not just what we know, but how we think. The rise of short-form content (TikTok, Reels, Shorts) has created a "fragmented attention" span.
"Deep work requires the ability to focus on a single complex task for an extended period. If the brain is trained only for 15-second bursts of dopamine, its capacity for complex problem-solving—a key component of IQ—naturally diminishes."
4. The Counter-Argument: Are the Tests Just Old?
It is worth noting that not every scientist is ready to hit the panic button. Many experts argue that:
IQ tests are outdated: They measure 20th-century skills (like mental arithmetic or rote pattern recognition) rather than 21st-century skills (like information filtering, digital literacy, and rapid adaptation).
3. The Crisis of Attention
It’s not just what we know, but how we think. The rise of short-form content (TikTok, Reels, Shorts) has created a "fragmented attention" span.
"Deep work requires the ability to focus on a single complex task for an extended period. If the brain is trained only for 15-second bursts of dopamine, its capacity for complex problem-solving—a key component of IQ—naturally diminishes."
4. The Counter-Argument: Are the Tests Just Old?
It is worth noting that not every scientist is ready to hit the panic button. Many experts argue that:
IQ tests are outdated: They measure 20th-century skills (like mental arithmetic or rote pattern recognition) rather than 21st-century skills (like information filtering, digital literacy, and rapid adaptation).
Cognitive Evolution: Gen Z might be "narrower" in traditional logic but "wider" in their ability to navigate complex digital ecosystems and manage multiple streams of information.
The Bottom Line
Whether it's a genuine decline in raw intelligence or a fundamental shift in how the human brain operates, Dr. Horvath’s warning is clear: Reliance on technology comes at a biological cost.
Whether it's a genuine decline in raw intelligence or a fundamental shift in how the human brain operates, Dr. Horvath’s warning is clear: Reliance on technology comes at a biological cost.
We are moving from a world of "knowing" to a world of "accessing," and our brains are rewiring themselves accordingly.
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