Scientists shocked by results of Generation Z intelligence research
For over a century, humanity has been intellectually growing non-stop. Since the late 19th century, each subsequent generation became smarter than the previous one — this trend seemed an unbreakable law of progress. However, with Generation Z, for the first time in modern history, it reversed — intelligence began to decline.
Is the generation born in the 2000s different from earlier ones because they grew up with phones? Illustrative photo: "Nasha Niva"
Generation Z refers to young people born approximately in the 2000s.
American neurobiologist and education expert Jared Horvath made a resonant statement during a US Senate hearing: despite modern children spending more time in educational institutions than their predecessors, they show worse results across all key parameters. This concerns not only IQ, but also basic attentiveness, memory, reading skills, and elementary mathematics.
According to Horvath, the main reason is the widespread implementation of educational technologies (EdTech) in schools. Digital devices absorb a significant part of learning time, but bring real benefits only in narrow areas (for example, as educational simulators).
Die Welt introduces the details.
"Data from international comparative studies, large-scale scientific works, and meta-analyses show that increasing screen time during lessons is usually associated with a deterioration of learning outcomes, not their improvement. Our task is not to maximize screen time, but to promote the development of cognitive abilities and long-term success of the next generation," Horvath noted in his written address to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Professor of School Pedagogy at the University of Augsburg, Klaus Zierer, in turn states:
"Today's students show worse results in almost all educational measurements than previous generations — and this is happening for the first time since the end of World War II," notes Zierer, citing the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as an example. According to this data, after a peak in 2012, the achievement curve has been steadily declining.
Zierer shares Horvath's view that most EdTech solutions are less effective than traditional lessons without technology. "At the stage of mastering basic competencies, technology is inherently absolutely unsuitable. It requires time and money, but brings very little benefit — if any at all."
The German professor is concerned not only about the digitalization of education but also about the general change in the living environment, which leads to an increase in attention deficit, speech problems, emotional emptiness, and an inability to build deep logical connections.
Together with colleagues from the University of Augsburg, Zierer conducted a meta-analysis in 2023, which confirmed the existence of the so-called "Brain Drain" effect, first described by Adrian Ward of the University of Chicago in 2017.
It shows that even the mere presence of a smartphone nearby can reduce attention and impair memory performance. German researchers formulated a clear recommendation: the use of digital media should not be accidental, but consciously organized — taking into account control and pedagogical approaches.
The discussion around banning smartphones in schools and setting age restrictions for social media use is fueled by other studies as well. For example, scientists from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada, found that excessive screen time during brain development increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia in adulthood.
"We predict that excessive screen use during critical developmental phases of Generation Z will lead to mild cognitive impairments in early and middle adulthood, followed by a significant increase in the incidence of dementia in old age," note the researchers.
Scientists predict that after 2060, the world may face a 4-6 fold increase in the incidence of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. This could lead to serious social and economic consequences, as well as a critical burden on healthcare systems in developed countries.
Interestingly, it is Scandinavia, which previously pioneered the digitalization of education, that is now the first to begin retreating amid declining academic performance. Instead, governments are once again investing in traditional school textbooks.
Pioneers of this peculiar "analog counter-revolution" alongside the Swedes were the Danes, who until recently actively implemented digital technologies: about 72% of students used electronic devices in almost every class. However, it is now expected that the time they spend in front of screens during learning will be significantly reduced.
Denmark's Minister of Education, Mattias Tesfaye, even issued a public apology to the young generation. According to him, children should not have been turned into "guinea pigs" by replacing books with iPads. Now, Northern Europe is leading the analog resistance, trying to save the cognitive potential of future generations before it's too late.
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