Generation Z—roughly those born between 1997 and 2012—has grown up immersed in smartphones, infinite scrolling, AI assistants, and digital everything. They’re often praised for their adaptability, social awareness, and tech fluency. But in early 2026, headlines exploded with a stark claim: Gen Z may be the first generation in over a century to score lower on IQ and cognitive tests than the one before it.
Is this the end of progress, or another “kids these days” panic? Let’s examine the data, the debate, and what it really means.
The Flynn Effect: A Century of Rising Intelligence
For most of the 20th century, IQ scores rose steadily—a phenomenon called the Flynn effect, named after researcher James Flynn. Average IQs in developed countries increased by about 3 points per decade, totaling roughly 30 points over a century. This was driven by better nutrition, education, healthcare, and more stimulating environments.
Here’s a classic visualization of the gains:
This pattern held through Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials—until recently.
The Claim: Gen Z and the Reverse Flynn Effect
In early 2026, neuroscientist Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation about screen time’s impact on youth. He stated bluntly: “Our kids are less cognitively capable than we were at their age.”
Horvath reviewed standardized test data showing Gen Z underperforming Millennials in attention, memory, literacy, numeracy, executive function, and overall IQ measures.
This “reverse Flynn effect” has appeared in parts of Europe since the 1990s and more recently in the U.S. Studies show declines especially among young adults.
Horvath tied the shift to widespread digital adoption around 2010: once screens flooded schools and daily life, performance dipped across many countries.
Gen Z averages over 9 hours of daily screen time (per 2025–2026 stats), often with short-form content that prioritizes quick hits over deep processing.
Counterarguments: Not a Full-Blown Decline
Skeptics push back:
- IQ tests aren’t everything — They capture specific skills influenced by environment. Gen Z may shine in digital navigation, visual-spatial tasks from gaming, or rapid info synthesis—areas traditional tests undervalue.
- Mixed or small effects — Some regions show stability or slight gains; the reversal isn’t universal.
- Other causes — Inequality, mental health issues, sleep disruption, and pandemic effects contribute.
The Tech Hypothesis: Why Gen Z?
The timing points to smartphones and short-form media: fragmented attention, doomscrolling replacing deep reading, AI reducing independent problem-solving, less outdoor play, altered sleep from blue light.
Yet Gen Z adapts masterfully—multitasking, quick consumption, creative tech use.
Gen Z’s Hidden Strengths
Traditional metrics may miss what Gen Z excels at: emotional intelligence, visual/digital literacy, resilience amid challenges, global perspectives from connectivity.
In an AI-driven world, skills like effective prompting may outweigh rote knowledge.
What Now? Moving Forward
If trends persist, challenges loom for workforce readiness and innovation. But action beats alarm:
- Limit non-essential screens in education
- Emphasize deep reading, handwriting, unplugged problem-solving
- Teach digital hygiene and source evaluation
- Balance tech with real-world interaction
Gen Z isn’t doomed—they’re digital natives evolving intelligence for a new era. The question isn’t just “Are they less intelligent?” but “What intelligence does tomorrow demand?” They may already be building it.
Sources include studies referenced in Horvath’s 2026 Senate testimony, Northwestern research, ICAR data, and meta-analyses on the Flynn/reverse Flynn effects. Screen time stats from 2025–2026 reports.