IQ scores in the US have dropped for first time in nearly 100 years trends now
IQ scores in the US have dropped for the first time in nearly 100 years, new research has indicated.
The researchers set out to find evidence that each generation is smarter than the previous, known as the 'Flynn effect' — but they found the opposite.
Scientists from the University of Oregon and Northwestern looked at nearly 400,000 online IQ tests done between 2006 and 2018.
While they did not give the exact drop, they said the biggest decrease was in people aged 18-22 and those less well-educated.
The study was conducted before the pandemic, meaning disruptions to education caused by lockdowns might have worsened it further.
Those aged 18-22 saw the the biggest drop in IQ tests between 2006 and 2018, the study found
The Flynn effect is the notion that IQ scores increase over time, as shown above
Past research suggested one of the reasons could be technology's increasing dominance over our daily lives, shortening our attention spans and making us less inclined to think deeply.
Some experts argue that leaps in technology mean we have access to more information than ever which increase the opportunities for learning and may make us smarter.
The study was published in the journal Intelligence.
Some skills, such as 3D spatial reasoning tests, showed an uptick from 2011 to 2018.
But skills like verbal reasoning, visual problem solving and numerical series tests had all gone down.
It may be that the results 'indicate a change of quality or content of education and test-taking skills within', they wrote in the conclusion.
IQ tests are not a foolproof measure of intelligence and garner criticism because they only look at a few set of skills.
Other studies over the years have demonstrated the Flynn effect may already be
