Human Understanding Apparently Shows a Downward Trend
The Reverse Flynn Effect, a phenomenon where average IQ scores are declining in several developed countries, has become a topic of concern in the scientific community. This reversal contrasts sharply with the previous century's trend of rising intelligence levels, known as the Flynn Effect.
Research from various universities, such as Northwestern University and the University of Oregon, has documented declines in cognitive abilities across various domains, including logic, vocabulary, and problem-solving skills, between 2006 and 2018. These declines were observed across multiple age groups and educational backgrounds, with the most pronounced declines noted among younger individuals.
The exact causes of the decline in IQ scores remain unclear, but it is widely accepted that environmental factors are significant contributors. Several factors have been proposed to explain this reversal:
- Changes in Education: Curricula in some countries have shifted toward emphasizing breadth over depth, integrating technology and multimedia learning. This shift may potentially reduce deep analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills.
- Technological and Media Influence: The rise of multimedia, rapid task switching, and shortened attention spans due to digital media consumption may impair sustained abstract reasoning and working memory, core skills measured by IQ tests.
- Sociocultural Shifts: A decline in literacy habits and complex cultural-political discourse, replaced by more fragmented and superficial communication styles, might contribute to diminished cognitive engagement on traditional IQ measures.
- Psychological and Social Contexts: Increasingly adversarial social and political environments with reduced trust and elevated distractions could also undermine the cognitive development environment that supported earlier IQ gains.
In Norway, a significant decline in average IQ scores was observed among men drafted for military service from 1970 to 2009, with each successive generation scoring approximately seven IQ points lower. Similar declines have been noted in Denmark and other European nations among 11-12 year-olds, with drops of up to 12 points over nearly three decades.
Understanding and addressing factors such as changes in education, technology use, nutrition, and cultural engagement will be crucial for reversing this trend and fostering cognitive development in future generations. The projected global IQ trend suggests a decrease from an average "notional IQ" of 90.31 in 2000 to an estimated 86.67 by 2050, making it essential to address this issue promptly.
[1] Neisser, U., Boodoo, G., Bouchard, T. J., Boykin, A. W., Brody, N., Ceci, S. J., et al. (2009). Intelligence: Knowns and unknowns. American Psychologist, 64(1), 33-45. [3] Flynn, J. R. (2007). What is intelligence? Two views. American Psychologist, 62(1), 77-99. [4] Salthouse, T. A. (2006). Intelligence and aging: Theory and findings. Annual Review of Psychology, 57, 1-27.
- The declining global trends in average IQ scores, as documented by research from various universities such as Northwestern University and the University of Oregon, are not limited to logic, vocabulary, and problem-solving skills, but also extend to areas like mental health, health-and-wellness, education-and-self-development, and learning.
- As changes in education, technology use, nutrition, and cultural engagement are emphasized as significant contributors to the Reverse Flynn Effect, it might be necessary to revise and update teaching methods in the science field to promote deep analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills, crucial for the development of these areas.
- The degradation in cognitive abilities observed across multiple domains, as well as the declining IQ scores globally, can have far-reaching consequences on an individual's health-and-wellness, learning, and education-and-self-development, making it imperative to understand the underlying causes and address this issue promptly.
