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. 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—sugge...