Concerns are mounting among neuroscientists and education researchers regarding a potential decline in intelligence among Generation Z, sparking urgent inquiries into how contemporary environments are altering the human brain.
In a notable US Senate hearing held in January 2026, Dr Jared Cooney Horvath, a distinguished cognitive neuroscientist, testified that those born between 1997 and 2012 may represent the first generation to exhibit lower cognitive performance than their parents at a comparable age.
Dr Horvath, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, emphasised that this trend is not merely a matter of cultural perception but is a measurable phenomenon reflected in declining scores across IQ, memory, literacy, numeracy, attention, and problem-solving metrics.
For over a century, human intelligence appeared to follow a consistent upward trajectory, pattern researchers are now seeing stall or turn backward.
Rise and fall of ‘Flynn Effect’
This historical upward trend is known as the Flynn effect, named in honour of psychologist James Flynn. Since the 1930s, many nations recorded average IQ gains of approximately three points per decade.
These improvements were largely attributed to environmental factors – such as enhanced nutrition, longer periods of schooling, smaller family units, and exposure to more complex daily environments – rather than genetic changes.
Under this effect, children showed marked improvements in abstract reasoning, pattern recognition, and problem-solving. These gains were so consistent that IQ tests required regular re-normalisation to prevent score inflation.
However, this progress flattened around the late 1990s.
In nations like Norway, Denmark, and Finland, IQ scores began to drop among groups born after the mid-1970s, with similar downward patterns appearing in the United Kingdom, the United States, and parts of Western Europe by the 2010s.
Global data confirms downward trend
Statistically significant evidence of this decline was found in a major Norwegian study of over 730,000 men, which documented a loss of roughly seven IQ points per generation among younger cohorts.
Because this decline was observed even between siblings raised in the same household, researchers have pointed to environmental influences as the primary driver.
Data from the United States corroborate these international findings.
An analysis of nearly 400,000 American adults conducted between 2006 and 2018 identified clear decreases in verbal, numerical, and matrix reasoning – all essential components of fluid intelligence.
While spatial reasoning showed minor gains, the sharpest overall declines were noted among young adults aged 18 to 22.
International PISA assessments indicate that today’s youth often struggle with reading comprehension, working memory, and mathematical reasoning compared to the millennial generation, despite spending more time in formal education.
While some experts suggest these tests may simply fail to capture modern skills, the consistency of the decline across various countries and test formats makes the trend difficult to ignore.
The impact of digital integration
Experts like Dr Horvath identify the rapid adoption of digital technology in schools as a critical factor in this cognitive downturn. Around 2010, the widespread introduction of laptops, tablets, and educational software was intended to personalise learning.
However, evidence suggests these tools may actually fragment attention, promote excessive task-switching, and inhibit the deep cognitive processing necessary for memory consolidation.
Research indicates that students who utilise computers for several hours daily during learning often achieve lower scores on standardised tests than those with restricted screen access.
Beyond the classroom, smartphones and social media have exacerbated the issue, with many Gen Z individuals spending over seven hours a day on screens.
This behaviour reportedly trains the brain to seek constant stimulation at the expense of sustained focus. Other potential contributors include shifts in school curricula toward test preparation and declining habits of traditional reading.
A reconfiguration of cognitive skills?
Despite the drop in traditional IQ markers, researchers note that Gen Z exhibits high proficiency in areas not typically measured by standard tests, such as digital navigation, visual information processing, and rapid information filtering.
This suggests that rather than a total loss of intelligence, society may be witnessing a reconfiguration of cognitive skills shaped by a digital environment.
Reversing the crisis
The “reverse Flynn effect” is viewed as a reversible trend because it is rooted in environment rather than genetics.
Countries like Denmark have already taken steps to limit classroom screen time in favour of hands-on and play-based learning, which has shown early signs of stabilising cognitive scores.
If left unaddressed, lower cognitive abilities could negatively impact innovation, economic productivity, and global problem-solving. In his closing remarks to lawmakers, Dr. Horvath warned that while intelligence is not a fixed trait, it remains fragile.
The future of the “reverse Flynn effect” – whether it remains a temporary fluctuation or becomes a permanent legacy – will likely depend on how societies choose to manage education and technology in the digital age.
