# Click on the dots; they guess your age **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 20, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224 "2013-04-20T16:33:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/1 "2013-04-20T16:33:09Z")
A friend linked to [this](http://kgajos.eecs.harvard.edu/ag/) on Facebook. Not a Facebook app (it’s from “LabintheWild”). Their claim: > [@](#): > > Human motor system changes as we age. Our program will guess your age by analyzing how you click. Only takes a minute. It was off by 4 years for me (I’m 35, it guessed I’m 31). That’s pretty close, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/2 "2013-04-20T16:42:58Z")
I’m 53. Their guess was 29. ---
**Author:** ![Troppus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/3 "2013-04-20T16:45:29Z")
Guessed me at 29, and I’m 42. Also sitting at an in-ergonomically correct conventional desk which puts my shoulder, arm, hand and wrist in an awkward position. Not sure this test is any valid measure of motor skills. Interesting idea, though! ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/4 "2013-04-20T16:45:34Z")
They guessed 32; I’m 48. Based on the very little data in this thread, they start with a number like 30 and don’t deviate from it enough. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/5 "2013-04-20T16:50:30Z")
The link is NOT to a FB page or FB app. It is a straight up web page. According to them, over 160k have participated. I did it and it pegged me at 32yo (I’m over 50). That is with a crappy optical mouse struggling on a dirty mouse pad and me sitting in a really poor posture. They’re hoping for more 55yo+ participants. They allow you to provide them feedback. My feedback to them was quite a bit longer because I can see a lot of problems with their approach… but so be it. Maybe it will help them. At the end, they have links to other tests for: > [@](#): > > Want to see more of our studies? > > Do we all perceive the same designs as beautiful? > Compare your visual preferences to people around the world. This experiment takes around 10 minutes. Participate now! > > Test your social intelligence! > Test how well you can read emotions of others just by looking at their eyes. This experiment takes around 10 minutes. Participate now! > > Lab in the Wild! > Lab in the WildExplore all of our online experiments. Help science and learn something interesting about yourself. Participate now! ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/6 "2013-04-20T16:51:55Z")
I curious about your mouse settings and whether that makes a difference here. I like the sensitivity all the way up so I can navigate the entire screen without having to pick up and “reset” the mouse or lift my wrist. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/7 "2013-04-20T16:53:36Z")
I’m 48. According to the site, I’m 36. Reading the previous answers, it doesn’t seem very accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/8 "2013-04-20T16:55:40Z")
my mouse is optical and it litterally will quit working because there is too much dust or something on the table or mouse pad. My mouse pad is probably 15 years old so is scuffed and interferes with the movement. (I’m too lazy to go looking for a new one). Anyway… I figured they’d peg me at 70yo or a non-computer literate. Instead it had me at 32yo? I think they need to fine tune their algorithms at least a tad. Someone should try it using their toe on a touch pad and see what age they guess them as. (if you do that, make sure to let them know that you have and that is the basis for your results.) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/9 "2013-04-20T16:56:14Z")
Guessed 33; I’m 46. If the movement of the red dots had been random, it would have taken me a lot longer. ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/10 "2013-04-20T16:57:03Z")
It decided I was 32 so we’re dating now. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/11 "2013-04-20T16:57:23Z")
Holy shit. It guessed 33, which is spot on correct. Edit: I’ll try it again later while drunk, and see what it says… ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/12 "2013-04-20T17:03:37Z")
It guessed 30 and I’m 34. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/13 "2013-04-20T17:06:50Z")
It guessed 29 for me and I’m 39. If they are looking for speed I think they have a problem, the ones where you could see all of the circles you could tell where it was going next as it was always across from the red one. I also wonder how much they went with the time between sessions as I just kept on going. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/14 "2013-04-20T17:09:43Z")
They guessed 32, I’m 58. ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/15 "2013-04-20T17:20:33Z")
Guessed 30, while I’m 26. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/16 "2013-04-20T17:22:53Z")
It guessed I was 33 - I am 38. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/17 "2013-04-20T17:26:06Z")
They were off by 28 years. It’s a worthless test. People’s ability to manipulate a mouse varies with far more factors than age. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/18 "2013-04-20T17:31:38Z")
Guess 29. I am 30. Did anypony get a guessed age lower than 29? ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/19 "2013-04-20T17:33:23Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > I’m 53. Their guess was 29. I’m 56, they guessed 28. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224/20 "2013-04-20T17:35:54Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > I’m 56, they guessed 28. I’m a year older and they guessed 28 too. The only thing they can prove is that their test can’t determine the age of the subject. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/click-on-the-dots-they-guess-your-age/656224.md?page=2)