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Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:03 AM

damnedifIknow (799 posts)

The average mental age of adults.

The average mental age of adults has been estimated at between thirteen and sixteen years of age. Now think about society and our quest for a father figure to lead and protect along with our need to be entertained with sports and running to the mall to purchase shiny objects we really don't need. I'm just thinking there is something to this that explains so much.

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24 replies	Author	Time	Post
The average mental age of adults. (Original post)	damnedifIknow	Feb 2013	OP
Don't forget religion.	Scuba	Feb 2013	#1
Or value system is totally skewed.	damnedifIknow	Feb 2013	#2
As individuals our values are skewed. n/t	Puzzledtraveller	Feb 2013	#9
want to give some reputable links to that claim?	cali	Feb 2013	#3
My guess, from the sound of it, is that this is a young person...	RevStPatrick	Feb 2013	#13
I'm not sure that you're interpreting that info correctly.	aikoaiko	Feb 2013	#4
Definition	damnedifIknow	Feb 2013	#6
I understand the definition. I've taken psychometric coursework.	aikoaiko	Feb 2013	#12
When I read the subject line my first thought was about reading comprehension.	redqueen	Feb 2013	#19
Back in the 1980s, reading levels were set at 8th grade IIRC.	aikoaiko	Feb 2013	#22
If that were the case, then the average mental age of adults would be their own age.	EOTE	Feb 2013	#20
I don't know but something is going on.	damnedifIknow	Feb 2013	#23
Yes, something is most definitely going on.	EOTE	Feb 2013	#24
A link to the study(ies) would be most appreciated! nt.	polly7	Feb 2013	#5
Here's one link.	damnedifIknow	Feb 2013	#8
Oh FFS, that article is from 1919.	aikoaiko	Feb 2013	#11
Much more info	damnedifIknow	Feb 2013	#15
Let's look at what you wrote:	aikoaiko	Feb 2013	#16
I had another link here	damnedifIknow	Feb 2013	#18
I was hoping for something a bit more recent and detailed. nt.	polly7	Feb 2013	#14
So basically Lord of the Flies?	JaneyVee	Feb 2013	#7
That explains so much	lunatica	Feb 2013	#10
Paul Ryan	GeorgeGist	Feb 2013	#17
I check in at about 13. I'm okay with that. I liked being 13.	Gorp	Feb 2013	#21

Response to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:22 AM

Scuba (27,211 posts)

1. Don't forget religion.

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Response to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:22 AM

damnedifIknow (799 posts)

2. Or value system is totally skewed.

Why do we pay people millions of dollars to play with balls? They aren't curing cancer they are playing! The only thing I can think of it's because they entertain the mentally immature masses so they are valuable.

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Response to damnedifIknow (Reply #2)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:38 AM

Puzzledtraveller (2,392 posts)

9. As individuals our values are skewed. n/t

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Response to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:24 AM

cali (81,234 posts)

3. want to give some reputable links to that claim?

And what do you even mean with the phrase "mental age"?

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Response to cali (Reply #3)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:43 AM

RevStPatrick (1,942 posts)

13. My guess, from the sound of it, is that this is a young person...

...discovering the world and trying to figure out why its so fucked up.

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Response to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:32 AM

aikoaiko (16,629 posts)

4. I'm not sure that you're interpreting that info correctly.

Last edited Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:33 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

The concept of mental age maxes out its utility at around the mid-teens in terms of IQ.

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Response to aikoaiko (Reply #4)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:35 AM

damnedifIknow (799 posts)

6. Definition

A person's mental age is a measurement of their ability to think when compared to the average person's ability at that age
Although Andrew is twenty-five, he has a mental age of six.

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Response to damnedifIknow (Reply #6)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:43 AM

aikoaiko (16,629 posts)

12. I understand the definition. I've taken psychometric coursework.

Last edited Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:44 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

My point is that the concept of mental age was never really intended to go past mid-teens in the first place.

For example, while it makes sense to say that an 8 year old who cognitively behaves like a 10 year old is advanced, it doesn't make any sense to say that a 25 year old is advanced because he or she cognitively behaves like a 30 year old.

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Response to aikoaiko (Reply #12)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 10:23 AM

redqueen (102,943 posts)

19. When I read the subject line my first thought was about reading comprehension.

As a technical writer you're told to dumb it down. In writing classes they say to write at the level your audience reads at, so I'm curious what grade/age level most newspapers and magazines are aiming for.

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Response to redqueen (Reply #19)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 11:49 AM

aikoaiko (16,629 posts)

22. Back in the 1980s, reading levels were set at 8th grade IIRC.

But then USA Today had only been out for a few years and it appears that many papers have followed their model which appears to be lower than 8th grade.

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Response to damnedifIknow (Reply #6)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 10:50 AM

EOTE (12,259 posts)

20. If that were the case, then the average mental age of adults would be their own age.

Half of the adult population would have a mental age greater than their own age while the other half would have a mental age less than their own age. The average mental age of 25 year olds would be 25. What you've proposed makes very little sense.

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Response to EOTE (Reply #20)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 12:15 PM

damnedifIknow (799 posts)

23. I don't know but something is going on.

Last edited Wed Feb 20, 2013, 12:18 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

The Hubris documentary made me start thinking again. I just don't get how people could have been be so easily swayed into believing the Bush administration fear tactics. Blows my mind.....really.

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Response to damnedifIknow (Reply #23)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 12:40 PM

EOTE (12,259 posts)

24. Yes, something is most definitely going on.

But I don't think spreading completely unfounded nonsense is the way to address that.

I'd say a fairly small minority of the country actually believed the Bush administration. The rest went along with them because they're xenophobic and they figured there's never a bad time to attack brown people. Of course, about half the country was dead set against war and did their best to stop the inevitable.

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Response to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:34 AM

polly7 (7,869 posts)

5. A link to the study(ies) would be most appreciated! nt.

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Response to polly7 (Reply #5)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:37 AM

damnedifIknow (799 posts)

8. Here's one link.

http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=buy.optionToBuy&id=1926-01400-001

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Response to damnedifIknow (Reply #8)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:40 AM

aikoaiko (16,629 posts)

11. Oh FFS, that article is from 1919.

Psychometrics has come a long way since then.

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Response to aikoaiko (Reply #11)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:46 AM

damnedifIknow (799 posts)

15. Much more info

using Google. Scoff all you like but do you have a better explanation? Personally I think there is something to this.

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Response to damnedifIknow (Reply #15)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:56 AM

aikoaiko (16,629 posts)

16. Let's look at what you wrote:

Last edited Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:57 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

You defined mental age as:

A person's mental age is a measurement of their ability to think when compared to the average person's ability at that age

But in your OP you wrote:

The average mental age of adults has been estimated at between thirteen and sixteen years of age.

For the sake of simplicity, lets say you wrote in your OP:

The average mental age adults has been estimated at between thirteen and sixteen years of age.

That can't be true given your definition because however average 25 year old persons cognitively behave is the mental age criteria for that age bracket.

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Response to aikoaiko (Reply #16)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 10:19 AM

damnedifIknow (799 posts)

18. I had another link here

Last edited Wed Feb 20, 2013, 10:46 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

But I think they were talking about retarded adults. I'm in research mode so hang tight.

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Response to damnedifIknow (Reply #8)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:45 AM

polly7 (7,869 posts)

14. I was hoping for something a bit more recent and detailed. nt.

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Response to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:36 AM

JaneyVee (4,278 posts)

7. So basically Lord of the Flies?

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Response to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 08:40 AM

lunatica (28,953 posts)

10. That explains so much

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Response to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 09:28 AM

GeorgeGist (9,780 posts)

17. Paul Ryan

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Response to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Wed Feb 20, 2013, 11:41 AM

Gorp (716 posts)

21. I check in at about 13. I'm okay with that. I liked being 13.

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