In recent decades, many researchers have studied the importance of group-level cognition. Indeed, there is no convincing evidence that group activities improve the intelligence of individuals. This essay will examine how research in team games and study groups supports this view.

First, team games require individuals to perform various rapid mental calculations. This is because players in a sporting context must predict and anticipate possible actions within tight time constraints.

For example, a recent Cambridge study showed that soccer players could – within seconds – calculate over a dozen different permutations that could result from a single soccer-related action. Such predictive powers improve players' mental abilities and result from activities performed in a group context.

Secondly, study groups enable individuals to obtain information they could not acquire in isolation. This is because peer feedback allows individuals to refine their understanding of concepts and learn new information from other study group members.

For example, a study by The British Institute for Learning found that individuals who participated in study groups had a far more objective and sophisticated understanding of a topic than learners not in study groups. Therefore, it is certainly the case that learning in a group improves an individual's mental abilities.

In conclusion, group activities improve intellectual abilities. In the future, we will see schools take greater measures to ensure that more group-level cognition occurs in the classroom.