# What is your "mental age"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 6, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708 "2013-12-06T21:41:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/21 "2013-12-06T23:21:58Z")
Oddly, although posters who have responded range in actual age from 23 to 68 (and I think **James Toothpaste** may be younger), or a range of 45 years, mental ages only range from 31 to 48, or a range of 17 years. Regardless of one’s actual age the results seem to converge on an average of late 30s/early 40s. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/22 "2013-12-06T23:33:00Z")
Another median checking in. I’m 46 in the body but my brain is a fresh 36. That sounds about right–haven’t used the damned thing in about 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/23 "2013-12-06T23:36:11Z")
Ok, I went through again and checked what seemed to be the most “juvenile” answer each time, and got a mental age of 17. Then I did it a couple more times and checked what seemed like the most “old fart” answers. This time I got ages of 56 and 50. So it seems to be quite hard to get a mental age even as old as I am currently, even trying to do so. Anyone want to try to score a mental age older than 56?😃 ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/24 "2013-12-06T23:37:00Z")
I’'m 31, the site said 37. I think I confused it, though, because I’m generally a very boring person, except for my penchant for occasional significant consumption of alcohol. Also, it asked me like three questions about iPhones and iPads. I don’t use Apple! Leave me alone! ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/25 "2013-12-06T23:40:18Z")
My real age: 29 My mental age: 40 I’m actually kind of flattered that the quiz thinks I’m more mature than I actually am. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/26 "2013-12-06T23:52:48Z")
70/21 I should try for old now… ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/27 "2013-12-07T00:01:40Z")
Real: 30 Mental: 42 I’m surprised, I was sure it would come back with a mental age of 12 because I like fast cars and dragons and awesome s&%t like that. Guess I should be yelling at my inner child to get off ma’ damn lawn, ya goldurn little punk! ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/28 "2013-12-07T00:05:07Z")
Actual 59, mental 49. > [@beowulff](#): > > I found some questions very hard to answer truthfully, since on a few of them none of the answers were really possibilities for me. Ditto. The TV one, for instance - I wouldn’t say there’s never anything good on TV, but none of the shows (or even categories) I like were listed: _MASH_, _Soap_, _The Muppet Show_, _Whose Line?_, _The Wild Wild West_, _The Man from Uncle_, &c… ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/29 "2013-12-07T00:09:13Z")
Real 46, mental 36. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/30 "2013-12-07T00:20:47Z")
It’s easily torqued to give the mental age desired. And it’s geared toward a U.K. audience, not that there’s anything wrong with that. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/31 "2013-12-07T00:21:56Z")
Real 61, Mental 37; sounds about right ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/32 "2013-12-07T00:22:00Z")
Real 67, mental 42 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/33 "2013-12-07T00:48:31Z")
Physical age, 50. Mental age, [del]π[/del] 40. > [@Smapti](#): > > …the questions were grossly Anglocentric. (I’m not even sure what a “magnum” is in reference to ice cream - I’ve only ever heard the term in reference to firearms and prophylactics.) To me, a magnum is a large bottle of alcohol. Or a cheesy '70s-macho-style actor. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/34 "2013-12-07T00:57:38Z")
I’m 37. Apparently, so is my brain. No fun. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/35 "2013-12-07T01:14:44Z")
Test says I’m 43 mentally…I disagree. I’m 59, but I’m as immature as I was at 35. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/36 "2013-12-07T01:35:51Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I ranked 48 vs. my real age of 31, though I’m not sure how accurate that is since the questions were grossly Anglocentric. (I’m not even sure what a “magnum” is in reference to ice cream - I’ve only ever heard the term in reference to firearms and prophylactics.) Yeah, I didn’t understand _any_ of the choices on that one. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/37 "2013-12-07T02:15:10Z")
I got stuck at question one. What is a magnum. What is a chocolate flake. And what is an ice lolly? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/38 "2013-12-07T02:25:23Z")
The thing is, I probably would have gotten the same mental age if I had taken it at 23 as now. I don’t think my preferences on most of the questions have changed that much. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/39 "2013-12-07T02:28:26Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I got stuck at question one. What is a magnum. What is a chocolate flake. And what is an ice lolly? I assumed: ice lolly is a Popsicle. Cone with chocolate flake is ice cream cone and sprinkles. Magnum is a Dove bar product I’ve seem advertised here. ---
**Author:** ![Nisslbody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Nisslbody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nisslbody)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708/40 "2013-12-07T02:34:05Z")
None of the answers for “baseball caps look best…” was “on fire”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-mental-age/675708.md?page=3)