A Cognitive Decline? Expert Says Gen Z Is First To Score Lower Than Previous Generation

Last Updated:February 23, 2026, 22:39 IST

Neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath said Gen Z may be less cognitively capable than Millennials, citing global test declines linked to increased screen time.

Generation Z may be the first generation in modern history to perform worse on standardised tests than the one before it, according to renowned cognitive neuroscientist and award-winning author Jared Cooney Horvath.

Often called “Zoomers" or “post-Millennials", Generation Z includes people born between 1997 and 2012. As of 2026, they are roughly aged between 14 and 29.

Despite growing up with unprecedented access to technology, Horvath noted their cognitive performance may be weaker than that of Millennials and earlier generations.

In written testimony before the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Horvath said Gen Z is “less cognitively capable than previous generations". He argued that this generation is the first to score lower on standardised tests than the one before it, as reported by Fortune magazine.

Horvath pointed to global data, including results from the Programme for Student Assessment, which tracks the performance of 15-year-olds in more than 80 countries.

Heavy reliance on tech

The data shows falling scores in reading, maths and problem-solving skills. He said there is also a strong link between increased screen time in schools and lower test scores.

According to Horvath, heavy reliance on educational technology is a key reason. He said learning began shifting heavily towards screens around 2010, which is when cognitive decline appears to have started. Teenagers now spend much of their waking hours on digital devices, reducing face-to-face interaction and deep study.

He stressed that this is not an argument against technology itself. Instead, he said education systems must align digital tools with how human learning actually works.

“This is not a debate about rejecting technology," Horvath wrote in his conclusion to the written statement submitted to the US Senate. “It is a question of aligning educational tools with how human learning actually works. Evidence indicates that indiscriminate digital expansion has weakened learning environments rather than strengthened them."

“Federal policy can restore balance by demanding evidence, protecting children’s developmental needs, and ensuring that innovation serves learning rather than attention capture. Our responsibility is not to maximize screen exposure, but to maximize the cognitive capacity and long-term flourishing of the next generation," he added.

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