IQ is a relative measure not an absolute one. 100 IQ in 2026 can be massively different in absolute terms to 100 IQ in 1956.

If you look at old test papers - the lack of intelligence in modern times is very stark.

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voidUpdate 5 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Yes, but the comment was about IQ, not absolute intelligence. The median intelligence is, by definition, 100 IQ, so the median IQ cannot be decreasing

	▲	debugnik 5 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		There's always a lag, you calibrate the test based on previous results, not future ones. If intelligence is decreasing I'd expect every IQ test to keep scoring a median lower than 100 unless taken immediately after calibration. Once it stops decreasing they'd converge again.
	▲	darkerside 2 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		The median IQ of successive generations may absolutely be falling

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vidarh 5 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Look up the Flynn effect. You're right in the first paragraph, but wrong about the direction.

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inigyou 4 hours ago | parent [-]

The Flynn effect ended several years ago and started reversing.

	▲	vidarh 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Even if that turns out to be true, rather than it starting to hit a ceiling where we can expect it to not consistently go in a single direction it does not alter anything I wrote, which addressed a comparison between 1956 and 2026. The claim of a "lack of intelligence in modern times" is flat out contradicted by the data. It'd take a lot of regression to get back to 1956 levels.