Generation Z is the first in history to have a lower IQ than their parents.

For the first time in modern history, a generation is underperforming their parents on standardized international tests of cognitive and academic abilities. This claim, defended by... neuroscientist and educator Jared Cooney Horvath in testimony to United States Senate, points out that young people from Generation Z — born between 1997 and 2010 — show declines in indicators such as reading, mathematics, attention, memory, and logical reasoning. This data breaks a trend observed for over a century, in which each new generation surpassed the previous one in school performance.

Data indicating a regression between generations.

In the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISAAccording to the study, which measures the performance of 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics, and science in dozens of countries, the most recent data indicate stagnation followed by a decline in average performance in several developed nations starting in the mid-2000s. analysis presented by Jared Cooney Horvath ao US SenateThere is a consistent association between increased screen time in the school environment and lower scores in the three areas assessed. The pattern described is monotonic: the greater the daily use of computers in the classroom, the lower the average scores tend to be.

Another point highlighted in the discussions about PISA This involves the so-called "mode effect." When assessment migrated from paper to digital format, students with less familiarity with electronic devices may have been artificially penalized, which could have created the impression that moderate technology users had an advantage. By controlling for this factor, the supposed gains disappear, reinforcing the interpretation that increased screen time does not translate, on a large scale, into consistent learning improvements.

In the case of TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), which assesses younger students in mathematics and science, reports a similar pattern. Countries with increased frequency of computer use during classes They tend to register lower performance in these subjects, both in high-income economies and in middle-income countries. The correlation appears repeatedly throughout the editions of the study, suggesting that the phenomenon is neither isolated nor restricted to a single educational context.

The analyses cited by Horvath Studies indicate that even when technology is incorporated with the intention of modernizing teaching, the average results do not surpass those obtained by established traditional methods. Instead of robust gains, performance is frequently observed that is inferior to or equivalent to conventional teaching. This reinforces the hypothesis that the mere presence of digital devices in the classroom does not guarantee progress in fundamental skills, especially when their use is widespread and poorly targeted.

Already PEERLES The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, which measures literacy and reading comprehension among younger students, has historically shown weaker performance among students with intensive computer use in the classroom. Recent data from the United States also indicate that even moderate levels of daily digital exposure are associated with declines in reading comprehension, especially with longer or more complex texts.

In general, the convergence between PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS — three of the leading international educational assessments, which together track millions of students over decades — supports concerns about the trajectory of Generation ZAlthough multiple factors influence school performance, the reports analyzed in the testimony to the U.S. Senate suggest that the rapid and poorly regulated expansion of educational technology coincides with a decline in core skills, breaking the historical trend of intergenerational progress.

What is the Flynn effect?

The call Flynn effect This is the name given to the phenomenon observed throughout the 20th century in which average IQ scores consistently increased with each generation. It was identified by a New Zealand researcher. James R. Flynn In the 1980s, the effect showed that, in several countries, children tended to obtain higher scores than their parents on standardized intelligence tests. This growth was mainly recorded in abstract reasoning, problem-solving, and logical thinking skills, suggesting significant environmental and educational changes over time.

Among the most widely accepted explanations for the Flynn effect These include increased access to formal education, improvements in nutrition, advances in public health, more cognitively stimulating environments, and greater exposure to intellectual challenges in daily life. The increasing complexity of industrial and digital societies has also contributed to the strengthening of analytical skills required in IQ tests. For decades, this phenomenon has been interpreted as an indicator of collective cognitive progress associated with socioeconomic development.

They are the first generation in modern history to score lower on standardized academic tests than the previous one. And, to make matters worse, most of these young people are overconfident in their own intelligence. The smarter people think they are, the less intelligent they really are.

Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, in an interview with the New York Post.

However, starting in the 2000s, several countries began to register stagnation—and in some cases, a reversal—of this pattern, a phenomenon that some researchers call the "reverse Flynn effect." It is in this context that the debate about Generation Z arises. With the downward trend in average scores on cognitive and academic assessments, this would represent a historical rupture: for the first time in over a century, a generation would fail to surpass the previous one in average intellectual performance.

Why does Generation Z have a lower IQ than Millennials?

According to the study carried out by Dr. Jared Cooney HorvathExperts have pointed to several possible reasons why Generation Z has lower average IQs and cognitive performance than Millennials (the previous generation). One of the main factors cited is... massive and early exposure to screens and digital devicesboth inside and outside of school. Horvath points out that, over the past few years, there has been a structural transformation in the educational environment: tablets, laptops, and software have come to occupy a large part of classroom time, often without robust evidence that this improves learning.

Second Horvath, The design of digital platforms favors patterns of fragmented attention and multitasking.This contrasts with how the human brain learns more deeply. Games, social media, short videos, and constant notifications train students to switch rapidly between tasks, instead of sustaining prolonged focus on complex challenges. This attention pattern, while useful in digital contexts, can hinder the concentration needed to solve problems, understand long texts, or delve deeper into concepts—skills required in IQ tests and assessments such as... PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS.

More than half of a teenager's waking time is spent looking at a screen. Humans are biologically programmed to learn from other humans and through in-depth study, not by scrolling through screens looking for summaries of topics.

Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, in an interview with the New York Post.

Another argument presented is that Technology does not replace human learning experiences and rich social interactions.Horvath points out that the best learning environments involve in-depth conversations, teacher-led instruction, and critical reading, which stimulate meaning-making and reflective thinking. When learning is mediated by screens without solid instructional support, he argues, students may acquire superficial information without developing the more complex mental connections needed to solve new problems or apply knowledge in different contexts.

Furthermore, the researcher points out that The increased use of educational technology has not always been accompanied by independent and rigorous research proving its long-term effectiveness.Many programs and devices are adopted in schools based on promises of innovation or efficiency, without consistent validation that they improve cognitive outcomes.

What do you think about this trend of declining average IQ across generations? Tell us in the comments! Comment below!

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Sources: New York Post, The Times of India, Mail Online, US Senate, PEERLES, PISA 2022, Market Brief e Pisa 2015.

reviewed by Luis Antonio Costa in 12 / 02 / 2026