Cognitive neuroscientist says Millennials outperform GenZs in IQ tests — all because of how they were schooled

Over the decades, a lot of differences have been observed scientifically among different generations. One of the major ones remains cognitive functioning and capacities. A former teacher turned cognitive neuroscientist, Jared Cooney Horvath, shared that Gen Z is showing concerning differences compared to Millennials, according to a clip from C-SPAN. He looked at the results of an IQ test and shared that the younger generations are “less capable” than Millennials were at that age. The reason? Screens in schools. 

According to the New York Post, the neuroscientist spoke to Congress, including lawmakers, and highlighted the problem at hand. He noted that ever since the late 1800s, the younger generations always outperformed their parents. This has always been the aim of education: to add advancement for future generations. “That’s what we want, we want sharper kids,” Horvath shared. He mentioned how school has played a crucial role in educating kids and aiding their developmental skills over the centuries. “Each generation spends more time in school, and we use school to develop our cognition,” he added. 

Unfortunately, Gen Z showed different results, and he says they are “the first generation in modern history to underperform compared to their parents.” In every area from memory, attention, literacy, and even IQ, those born between 1997 and 2010 had lower results compared to Millennials. The question was, if the younger generations are spending more time at school, why is this the case? Screens, he noted. Horvath explained that ever since schools have adopted digital technology, there has been a decrease in the school’s performance. He mentioned that it's the case across 80 countries, including the USA.

Sharing evidence to his claim, he cited a 1962 study which revealed that “when tech enters education, learning goes down.” In his written testimony, he quoted data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which showed a steady decline in the scores for various subjects from 2012 to 2018. He also shared statistics from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which showed that in the case of both 4th and 8th graders, students who used computers regularly showed a significant decline in test scores compared to those who used them rarely or never. The students who rarely used computers had scores above 520 for both science and math, while the students who used computers daily had scores between 480 and 500. 

An average teenager spends half their day on screens. When they’re not studying from digital material, they’re on social media or several other apps that grab their attention. There is no space for that necessary interaction. According to data from Demand Sage, an average female between 16 and 24 years of age spends around 7 hours 32 minutes onscreen every day, whereas an average male spends 7 hours 7 minutes. Gen Z reportedly spends around 9 hours a day glued to a screen, which is the highest among any other generation. The problem is not technological advancement; it's overconsumption. 

Sharing an important reason, Horvath noted that it's not that technology is not being used appropriately or that more needs to be added. Human beings are designed to learn from one another, and “screens circumvent that process.” Urging the need to reduce screen time, he said, “I’m not anti-tech. I’m pro-rigor.” And many adults agreed with this. @zaynabjamma wrote, "It’s messed with my head and I’m 25. I can only imagine how damaging it is to kids today."  @AccountingEducation979 added, "Thank god someone is talking about it. I have been fighting with my kid’s school since 2020."

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