One year ago, I watched a TV documentary called ‘Demain, tous crétins’ (Gilman & De Lestrade, 2017) which includes some extracts of ‘Idiocracy’, a comic post-apocalyptic movie (Judge, 2007). In this film, apocalypse doesn’t come from an environmental disaster, a nuclear accident or an extraterrestrial attack but from our actual consumerist way of life. It has conducted to a dystopian society (that is to say a society in which no one would feel comfortable) where anti-intellectualism has won. So, the “virus” is already inside of each of us and, as a result, it’s much more frightening.
Nonetheless, the 20th century was associated with an increase the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) (+13.2 points between 1932 and 1978). It’s the well-known Flynn effect (Trahan & al., 2014). Recently, some studies demonstrated that the trend has reversed. In France, for example, 2.44 points are lost per decade since the eighties.
How to explain it? Who is guilty? Brastberg and Rogeberg (2018) reveal that the initial rise and their decline were both caused by environmental factors with, on the first step of the podium, new technologies.
Indeed, Internet has changed our way to stock the information or, more precisely, not to stock them because they’re available wherever, whenever in some “cloud” (Sparrow, Liu & Wegner, 2011). It’s called transactive memory. Even worst, the personal efficacy to answer cultural questions rises when people are able to check Google®, even if the wrong answer is delivered.
Being part of the Y generation, I feel concerned, targeted. I agree that Internet changes our relation to the world: our way to memorize, to interact, to be here and now. However, are we really more stupid than our parents or intelligent differently? With this change of perspective, psychometric tests should adapt to this new form of intelligence to reflect it.
There are also some benefits with Internet. Do you remember this audacious research on the effect of viewing cute images of kitten? Nittono and al. (2012) highlighted that they produce positive feeling and thus, carry a narrower attention focus. Kittens make them more alert. Otherwise, a study demonstrated that quick breaks on Facebook in the workplace make employees more productive (Coker, 2013). Indeed, they feel happier and healthier. Moreover, 10-minute break reloads the cognitive engine. Good luck justifying to your superior, though!
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Words I have learned:
1. dystopian : dystopique
2. per decade : par décennie
3. to reload : recharger
4. a narrower attention focus : un focus attentionnel plus étroit
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Bibliography
Bratsberg, B., & Rogeberg, O. (2018). Flynn effect and its reversal are both environmentally caused. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 201718793. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1718793115
Coker, B. L. (2013). Workplace Internet leisure browsing. Human Performance, 26(2), 114-125.
Gilman, S., & De Lestrade, T. (2017). Demain, tous crétins ? [Documentary]. Paris : Arte.
Judge, M. (2007). Idiocracy. Twentieth Century Fox.
Nittono, H., Fukushima, M., Yano, A., & Moriya, H. (2012). The power of kawaii: Viewing cute images promotes a careful behavior and narrows attentional focus. PloS one, 7(9), e46362.
Sparrow, B., Liu, J., & Wegner, D. M. (2011). Google effects on memory: Cognitive consequences of having information at our fingertips. science, 1207745.
Trahan, L. H., Stuebing, K. K., Fletcher, J. M., & Hiscock, M. (2014). The Flynn effect: A meta-analysis. Psychological bulletin, 140(5), 1332.