Are People Actually Getting Dumber? Introducing The Reverse Flynn Effect

For much of the 20th century, IQ scores rose steadily across generations, a phenomenon researchers termed the Flynn Effect. Beginning in the 1930s, average intelligence scores climbed approximately three points per decade, attributed to factors such as improved nutrition, better education access, and increasingly complex environments. This upward trajectory suggested human cognitive abilities were advancing alongside societal progress.

Recent research, however, suggests this trend has reversed. A Northwestern University study analyzing cognitive test data from nearly 400,000 American adults between 2006 and 2018 found evidence of declining intelligence scores—what scientists now call the reverse Flynn Effect. Researchers examined performance across multiple cognitive domains, including abstract reasoning, logical sequence recognition, and spatial visualization. Composite scores declined over the study period, with the sharpest decreases among younger adults aged 18 to 22 and those with lower educational backgrounds.

Notably, performance varied by cognitive area. Abstract and logical reasoning abilities showed the most significant declines, while verbal reasoning remained relatively stable. Interestingly, three-dimensional spatial rotation scores improved, possibly linked to increased video game engagement. The decline predates both the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread AI adoption, leading some researchers to point toward smartphone usage as a potential contributing factor, suggesting that digital reading may differ fundamentally from traditional print in developing logical reasoning skills.

Standardized testing results corroborate these findings, with both the ACT and SAT showing declining average scores over the past decade, indicating this reverse Flynn Effect may represent a genuine shift in cognitive performance patterns.

Originally reported by Sciencealert →