Gen Z first generation with lower IQs than previous ones; technology to blame
- The end of childhood
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Feb 8, 2026, Bhaskar English: Gen Z becomes first generation with IQ lower than predecessors: Experts identify screen addiction as the cause of this ‘virtual autism’
It may not surprise you to know that Gen Z [those born 1997 to 2012] is a generation whose IQ is significantly lower than average levels.
What is surprising, however, is that Gen Z is the only generation whose IQ is lower than that of the generation before it.
Dr Jared Cooney Horvath, a US neuroscientist, recently told the Senate that teens spending about half their waking hours on screens was responsible for this.
Dr Horvath also said that the problem was observed not only in the US but also in at least 80 other countries. . . .
IQ is not just a number. It is a way of understanding how a person thinks, adapts, and responds to the world around them.
Dr Soma Pramanik explains IQ as a measure of overall mental ability.
It tells us how well a person can think logically, act with purpose, and deal with everyday situations.
A key point she stresses is age.
What counts as intelligent behaviour in a child is very different from what we expect from an adult.
IQ, therefore, must always be seen in relation to age and development.
Dr Pritesh Gautam looks at IQ from a more functional and clinical angle.
Dr Pritesh focuses on how well a person copes with situations, stress, and social expectations.
According to him, IQ reflects judgement, abstract thinking, and the ability to manage real-life demands.
Both agree that IQ is about adaptation. Where they differ is emphasis.
Dr Soma places IQ on a spectrum, showing how people compare with others of the same age.
Dr Pritesh highlights how IQ is assessed and classified, especially in clinical and academic settings.
Together, their views show that IQ helps us understand both potential and practical functioning, but it does not define a person completely. . . .
Most modern IQ tests are age-normed, meaning your score is compared with people in your age group.
The average IQ is set at 100, with most people scoring between 85 and 115. . . .
Does IQ change with age or external influences?
IQ does change with age and experience, but only up to a point.
Both experts agree on this in principle, though they stress different aspects.
Dr Soma Pramanik explains IQ as something shaped by both biology and exposure.
In childhood, IQ tends to rise steadily. This is similar to physical growth.
Till around the age of 15, intelligence develops strongly because the brain is still maturing and absorbing new experiences.
Genetics play a role, but environment, learning, and exposure matter just as much.
After late adolescence, the pattern changes.
IQ does not rise sharply anymore. Instead, it becomes more stable. . . .
This suggests that average IQ scores rise across generations, likely due to better education, nutrition, and stimulation.
Dr Pritesh Gautam takes a more cautious view.
He points out that IQ, as a measured score, usually remains stable over time.
What changes is not intelligence itself, but skills linked to it.
Academic performance, coping skills, and social understanding can improve with learning and practice.
Does a low IQ affect a person’s day-to-day activities?
According to Dr Pritesh Gautam, yes.
A low IQ means that a person’s abilities are lower compared to their mental age.
IQ is basically a formulation involving mental age and chronological age.
For example, if a person’s chronological age is 12 years but their mental ability corresponds to a 10-year-old, we say the person has borderline intelligence.
This means their IQ is low compared to their chronological age.
Such a person cannot cope with situations the way a typical 12-year-old would.
As a result, scholastic performance, academic performance, social functioning and overall daily functioning can be affected.
What factors are responsible for lower IQ in Gen Z?
Lower IQ trends seen in Gen Z are often explained through exposure and behaviour rather than biology.
Both experts point to the modern environment as the key factor, especially the way technology shapes thinking.
Dr Soma Pramanik links lower IQ scores to reduced mental effort. . . . .
Today, technology does the thinking for us.
GPS replaces navigation.
Calculators replace arithmetic.
Search engines replace memory and curiosity.
This leads to what she calls cognitive laziness.
The brain is used less, so it develops less. . . . .
Dr Soma Pramanik sees the danger at a systemic level.
When societies make everything easy and ready-made, people stop thinking for themselves.
Over time, this creates stagnation.
A major casualty is critical thinking.
When questioning declines, people begin to accept information blindly.
This encourages rigid opinions, polarisation, and phenomena like cancel culture.
For a democracy or any complex society, this weakens collective reasoning.
Dr Soma also stresses the timing. Gen Z lost two crucial developmental years during COVID.
School and college are not only about academics.
They teach debate, disagreement, negotiation, and exposure to different ideas.
Adolescence is when critical and hypothetical thinking takes root. . . .
Dr Pritesh Gautam explains the danger in biological terms.
Adolescents already have an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for judgement and impulse control. . . .
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