How the Flynn Effect Could Reverse: Are Americans Becoming Less Intelligent?

Are Americans really becoming less intelligent? A recent study looked at the Flynn Effect – an observed increase in IQ scores over time – and its effect in the US. The results revealed some startling information – cognitive ability scores of almost 400,000 Americans decreased in reasoning-related domains while increasing in visuospatial skills. This reversal of the Flynn Effect could have far-reaching implications.

The Flynn Effect is named after James Flynn, a New Zealand political scientist who noticed an upward trend in IQ scores in the 1940s. He and other researchers attribute this effect to the introduction of industrialized life, and it is most noticeable in countries that evolved rapidly from subsistence economies to highly developed industrial and post-industrial societies like the United States.

In the 2019 study, researchers hypothesized that increased digital devices use, coupled with the changing nature of work and schooling, could account for the reversal in the Flynn Effect. Scores across reasoning domains that are important for futures success such as math, abstract reasoning, and science decreased significantly. In contrast, scores pertaining to visIo-spatial skills like navigating virtual spaces, manipulating 3D objects, and orienting body parts in space increased significantly, which may reflect the impact of media exposure.

While these results point to a potential reversion in the Flynn Effect, there is still much to be studied and understood before any conclusions can be drawn. For example, socio-economic factors, as well as changes in teaching and learning styles, could also be contributing to these shifts. Similarly, test taking adverse environments might be to blame since studies have been known to demonstrate lower scores in educational interactions that lack close communication with an instructor.

It is clear that when it comes to determining whether Americans are becoming less intelligent, further research is necessary. The implications could be far-reaching if it turns out the Flynn Effect is reversing, and policymakers need to be aware of and prepared for the consequences. From how we educate students to how we employ people, how the workforce develops and changes depends in large part on individual cognitive abilities. The potential implications of the Flynn Effect’s reversal deserve serious consideration.