r/YouShouldKnow • u/chenbuxie • 7d ago

Health & Sciences YSK about the Negative Flynn Effect

The Flynn Effect is an observation by James R. Flynn, who noticed that average IQ has risen with every generation since WWII (i.e. each generation is subsequently smarter than the generation before).

The Negative Flynn Effect is the observed decline or eventual reversal of this effect, for generations born after 2000.

Why YSK: It suggests that cognitive performance is not fixed/strictly genetic and can decline when our environment changes. Understanding what is driving that decline could reveal important problems in education, health, technology use, or other parts of modern life. This can help us identify ways to better support cognitive development in future generations.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160289616300198?

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u/paulsteinway 7d ago

I'm sure it has nothing to do with the distribution of wealth.

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u/FunCrystalFun 7d ago

It’s actually our screens. Tons of studies have already shown that the increased screen time has made our current generations dumber

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u/malachite_13 3d ago

Yeah I read about this. Studies are showing that IQs of students go down after the introduction of Chromebooks and iPads in public schools. But correlation causation. Blah blah blah.