# What Is Your A.Q. (Autism Quotient)? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 31, 2005, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386 "2005-08-31T04:32:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/1 "2005-08-31T04:32:38Z")
The Autism Research Center at the University of Cambridge has several interesting online tests that may be useful in assessing autism and Asperger’s Syndrome- [http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/tests/default.asp](http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/tests/default.asp) I took the Autism Quotient (A.Q.) test and scored a 25/50, which is roughly midway between the scores of those diagnosed with Asperger’s and those of a control group. I also recommend taking the Eyes Test (Adult). I took this and performed slightly better than average, which surprised me because the test seemed _extremely_ difficult (imagine trying to read the emotion ‘Insisting’ solely by looking at a black and white photograph of a pair of eyes). So what is your Autism Quotient? What did you think of the test(s)?? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/2 "2005-08-31T04:46:51Z")
It involves downloading things and giving out my email. Bah to that! ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/3 "2005-08-31T04:49:40Z")
How are you supposed to score the AQ test? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/4 "2005-08-31T05:00:04Z")
Yeah, the AQ test is a word document. We aren’t supposed to send this in for an analysis, are we? ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/5 "2005-08-31T05:16:38Z")
Sorry, here’s how to score the test- [http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/docs/papers/2001\_BCetal\_AQ.pdf](http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/docs/papers/2001_BCetal_AQ.pdf) "\*Scoring the AQ ‘Definitely agree’ or ‘slightly agree’ responses scored 1 point, on the following items: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 33, 35, 39, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46. ‘Definitely disagree’ or ‘slightly disagree’ responses scored 1 point, on the following items: 1, 3, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, 36, 37, 38, 40, 44, 47, 48, 49, 50.\*" ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/6 "2005-08-31T05:52:01Z")
I got 21 of 50 on the Autism Quotient, for what that’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![meenie7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7993a0/32.png) [@meenie7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meenie7)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/7 "2005-08-31T06:22:08Z")
Hmmm…I got 38 out of 50. That’s pretty high, according to them. eeek. ---
**Author:** ![QuarkChild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c5a1d2/32.png) [@QuarkChild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuarkChild)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/8 "2005-08-31T07:28:39Z")
I got 41/50. However, expectations of the results may have biased my answers since I’ve thought for a long time that I actually have Asperger’s. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/9 "2005-08-31T07:41:35Z")
I got 36 out of 50. ---
**Author:** ![Thirty-Nine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@Thirty-Nine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thirty-Nine)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/10 "2005-08-31T09:06:34Z")
13/50 I thought I’d get higher than that, being a male math student and all (look at their results to see what I mean) The questions were all pretty transparent, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I can’t really comment on the content since I don’t know much about Autism. ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/11 "2005-08-31T11:06:05Z")
28/50, and that’s low by my estimation. Anyone will tell you I am SO Asperger’s… mm ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/12 "2005-08-31T16:23:17Z")
6/50 on AQ 32 out of 38 on the eye test ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/13 "2005-08-31T16:26:23Z")
Um…make that “32 out of 36 on the eye test.” ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/14 "2005-08-31T16:36:31Z")
> [@Giant\_Spongess](#): > > It involves downloading things and giving out my email. Bah to that! I gotta agree. Once, maybe, but for every single section? ---
**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:** [August 31, 2005, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/15 "2005-08-31T17:07:11Z")
This is too much work for idle curiosity - is there a link that I can just click on things and have it score my results automatically? ---
**Author:** ![whistlepig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@whistlepig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whistlepig)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/16 "2005-08-31T17:07:34Z")
If you go to Wired magazine and search “Asperger’s” they have an online quiz that gives your “Asperger’s Qoutient”. No downloading or email required. Aspergers is supposed to be a form of autism. whistlepig ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/17 "2005-08-31T17:11:58Z")
13/50. So does this mean I display Autistic characteristics 25% of the time? ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/18 "2005-08-31T17:22:17Z")
Clinking the link to the research paper just below the test link gives you the test without having to fill out a form (it’s in the appendix). My A.Q. - 23 ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/19 "2005-08-31T18:20:06Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > This is too much work for idle curiosity Or the ADD. I’m idly curious where I stand on the Too Lazy and Uninterested To Do It -to- Too ADD To Be Able To Do It continuum but not curious enough to take a test. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386/20 "2005-08-31T19:16:58Z")
35/50 It appears I share a number of characteristics with someone with aspergers but I’m pretty sure I don’t have it. Judging by what I’ve read, there are a few glaring differences. Interesting though, nonetheless. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-a-q-autism-quotient/319386.md?page=2)