Is America getting dumber? That’s the burning question after a new study reveals a troubling trend: American IQ scores have dropped across most cognitive domains. This latest finding, which draws attention to a phenomenon dubbed the “reverse Flynn Effect,” suggests that the steady rise in IQ scores throughout the 20th century may have reversed. Is this a sign of a sharp intellectual decline, or is something else at play? Let’s dive into the numbers.
The Reverse Flynn Effect: A Troubling Trend
For much of the 20th century, IQ scores around the world consistently increased. This phenomenon, known as the Flynn Effect, saw global IQ scores rising by approximately three to five points every decade.
However, a recent study from Northwestern University points to a reverse Flynn Effect in the United States. Over a span of twelve years—from 2006 to 2018—the study shows significant drops in IQ scores across four out of five measured cognitive areas.
So, what’s going on? Are Americans really losing intelligence, or is there something else behind this decline?
Which Cognitive Areas Are Affected?
The study, which analyzed a massive dataset of 394,378 Americans, found a decline in IQ scores across four cognitive domains:
- Verbal reasoning (logic and vocabulary)
- Matrix reasoning (visual problem-solving)
- Letter and number series (math and computation)
- Verbal memory (word recall)
But there’s a twist: spatial reasoning (3D rotation) actually showed slight improvements between 2011 and 2018. While most areas of cognitive ability saw drops, some domains, like spatial reasoning, bucked the trend. This raises the question—if one area is improving, can we really claim that intelligence is on the decline?
Why Are Scores Dropping?
There’s no single explanation for this downward trend. Some experts speculate that a range of factors could be at play, including poor nutrition, deteriorating health, and even increased media exposure. However, the study authors suggest that a significant shift in education may also be contributing.
Over the past few decades, there has been an increasing emphasis on STEM education—science, technology, engineering, and math—which may come at the expense of other cognitive skills, such as abstract reasoning and critical thinking.
Another theory is that Americans may simply be worse at taking these tests. According to Elizabeth Dworak, a lead researcher on the study, it might not mean that people’s mental abilities have decreased, but rather that they have become less adept at answering certain types of questions.
She points out that people who take online personality tests, like the SAPA Project used in the study, might be more interested in personality feedback than in the cognitive tasks being tested.
IQ Score Changes by Domain
| Cognitive Domain | Change in Scores (2006-2018) |
|---|---|
| Verbal reasoning | Significant decline |
| Matrix reasoning | Significant decline |
| Letter and number series | Significant decline |
| Spatial reasoning (3D rotation) | Slight increase |
The Big Question: Are We Really Getting Dumber?
While these findings are concerning, the researchers caution against jumping to the conclusion that Americans are less intelligent. Instead, it’s possible that something is changing in the way we approach cognitive testing. Whether it’s the way tests are designed or how test-takers engage with them, it’s clear that the landscape of IQ testing is evolving.
This decline might also be indicative of a broader societal shift. With changing values in education and the increasing importance of STEM subjects, certain cognitive skills may be receiving less focus. However, it’s important to note that the study didn’t attempt to determine the why behind the decline—it merely tracked the change. More research is needed to understand the underlying causes.
What’s Next?
The researchers at Northwestern University are not stopping here. They’re planning a follow-up study that will include 40 years of data to try to uncover the reasons behind this troubling trend. Meanwhile, societal shifts, such as the growing focus on digital media and rapid technological advancement, may also play a role. After all, how we engage with information today could be very different from how we did in the past.
The study is published in Intelligence.
America just elected a traitor, liar, convicted felon, sexual abuser, fraud and defamer and probably the stupidest person in America for president. That should tell you all you need to know about the intelligence level in our country.
“Are Americans Getting Dumber?.. That’s a no-brainer. Prime example is to take a hard look at all our politicians.
Irresponsible drawing of a straight line through those data. The residuals are not randomly distributed in time, i.e. they are heteroscedastic. A line does not describe the pattern well. There is more information to be gleaned by careful and informed data analysis. Shouldn’t have passed by the reviewer(s). I guess that does suggest that there is still reason for concern.
“it’s possible that something is changing in the way we approach cognitive testing.”
4 of 5 were “significant” decline while 1 was only a “slight” increase. are you trying to give away participation trophies?
Yes, the US population as a whole is becoming less intelligent, less able to critically think, and more susceptible to biased information loops.
Not as bad as CANADIAN society this is clear,look at the govt they have running show.
Duh. Large portions of the population are unable to tell that a 1/4 pounder is smaller than a 1/3 pound burger (see Wendy’s hamburger debacle). Supposed internet expert citizens cannot find simple information from trusted sources, relying instead on hearsay, misinformation, and lying corporate shills. American citizens were/are easily hoodwinked by Russian disinformation, stuff they “found on Facebook”, and a torrent of bull pucky promoted at Fox News. Verifiable testimony from DJT’s own staff regarding his treasonous behavior, idiotic pronouncements, and criminal activities went whistling through citizens heads, leaving no trace. Instead, over 1/3 of the population voted AGAIN for DJT. Now, we will ALL pay the price of stupidity and the failure to understand basic rules of law, the implications of Russian interference, and the snow job of US oligarchs. Up next, the destruction of the US dollar, and impoverishment of most residents. Don’t look to any “God”, there are no deities involved in this. Craven, despicable, and greedy traitors are doing this to us.
Dadood… your comment proves the study, lol.
Now that marijuana is being legalized everywhere, studies are coming out that show how it causes memory loss, loss of cognitive abilities, and loss of motivation. Not sure how they managed to overlook this in their study.
Obviously, DUMBER since there are better than 70+ million Americans who have proved the above findings in the last 8 years.
This doesn’t surprise me given the results of the most recent election and the amount of FAFO that is happening due to a dearth of critical thinking and basic scientific method skills.