There’s growing evidence that human intelligence, particularly in reasoning, problem-solving, and concentration, may have already reached its peak over a decade ago and is now on a downward trajectory. Recent data from international educational assessments and cognitive skill studies suggest a troubling trend: people of all ages struggle with focus, logical reasoning, and numerical understanding.
On Friday, the Financial Times of Britain published an essay titled “Have humans passed peak brain power?” addressing these issues and presenting alarming evidence, available here.
Long-Term Decline in Cognitive Skills
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), an OECD-backed international exam evaluating the reading, math, and science skills of 15-year-olds, shows declining test scores since 2012. This decline precedes the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting a longer-term trend.
The issue isn’t confined to teenagers. An OECD study on adult skills also indicates similar declines in problem-solving, attention, and numeracy across all age groups. A startling statistic reveals that one in three American adults now struggles with basic mathematical reasoning, a sharp increase from past years. In high-income nations, an average of 25% of adults face the same challenge.
The average American reads just four books annually, a third of the global average of 12. In Britain, the average is 15, and in France, it is 14.
The Role of Digital Media and Information Overload
Researchers are linking these declines in cognitive ability to people’s changing information consumption habits. The rise of digital media has shifted human attention from focused reading and problem-solving to constant engagement with fast-paced, visually driven content.
According to data from the Monitoring the Future study, which tracks American high school students, reports of difficulty in thinking, concentrating, or learning increased significantly starting in the mid-2010s. This increase coincides with the growing dominance of smartphones, social media, and algorithm-driven content that provide constant updates, notifications, and distractions.
Social media platforms are reshaping how people process information, leading to shorter attention spans and reduced cognitive endurance. Features like endless scrolling, rapid-fire video content, and algorithm-driven feeds encourage users to seek quick dopamine hits rather than engage in deep thought. This has led to a decreased ability to focus on tasks needing prolonged effort, like reading books, studying complex subjects, or critically evaluating information.
The shift carries significant implications for education, productivity, and public discourse, as nuanced discussions often get replaced by bite-sized reactions and superficial engagement.
In his book, *The Anxious Generation*, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt warns that smartphone culture and social media addiction are fueling a crisis in mental health and cognitive development, particularly among young people. Haidt argues that constant digital stimulation has reduced attention spans, problem-solving abilities, and increased anxiety, especially among teenagers.
Reading Declines While Passive Consumption Rises
- A 2022 survey found fewer than half of Americans read a book in the past year, a historic low.
- Meanwhile, screen time, particularly on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, has surged, often focusing on short, high-speed content that discourages deep focus.
Some researchers suggest that passive, fragmented information consumption weakens the brain’s ability to focus, reason, and analyze complex topics.
Changes May Not Be Reversible
While concerns about declining intelligence and attention persist, some experts believe that underlying human intellectual capacity remains intact. However, they emphasize that mental performance relies not only on raw ability but also on how skills are developed and applied.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) has introduced legislation to limit children’s screen time and regulate Big Tech’s impact on young users. He has proposed laws to ban addictive social media features and set a minimum age for social media use.
In October 2023, Senators Ted Cruz, Ted Budd, and Shelley Moore Capito introduced the “Eyes on the Board Act,” seeking to restrict student access to social media during school hours and promote parental controls on screen time. Even Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently proposed legislation to ban cellphone use in schools.
If current trends in digital consumption and declining attention spans continue, the broader impacts on education, workforce productivity, and societal decision-making could be significant. Some researchers advocate for educational reforms emphasizing critical thinking, logic, and deep reading, alongside more intentional digital media use to minimize negative effects on focus and cognition.
Ray Bradbury’s *Fahrenheit 451* is often seen as a warning about government censorship, but Bradbury clarified that the novel’s deeper concern was society’s abandonment of books for mindless entertainment. The dystopian world of *Fahrenheit 451* didn’t fall into tyranny through state-imposed book bans alone; rather, it was the erosion of attention spans, critical thinking, and intellectual curiosity that led people to stop reading voluntarily.
Social critics like Jonathan Haidt warn of a real-world scenario where social media and algorithm-driven content condition people to consume information in quick bursts. In *Fahrenheit 451*, people didn’t fight to save books because they no longer valued them; technology rewired their brains to prefer distraction over depth, making the destruction of literature the final step in an already underway process.
