The average mental age of adults.

[damnedifIknow]

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.

[Scuba]

1. Don't forget religion.

[damnedifIknow]

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.

[Puzzledtraveller]

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

[cali]

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

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

[RevStPatrick]

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.

[aikoaiko]

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

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

[damnedifIknow]

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.

[aikoaiko]

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

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.

[redqueen]

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.

[aikoaiko]

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.

[EOTE]

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.

[damnedifIknow]

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

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.

[EOTE]

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.

[polly7]

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

[damnedifIknow]

8. Here's one link.

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

[aikoaiko]

11. Oh FFS, that article is from 1919.

Psychometrics has come a long way since then.

[damnedifIknow]

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.

[aikoaiko]

16. Let's look at what you wrote:

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 [of 25 year old] 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.

[damnedifIknow]

18. I had another link here

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

[polly7]

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

[JaneyVee]

7. So basically Lord of the Flies?

[lunatica]

10. That explains so much

[GeorgeGist]

17. Paul Ryan

[Gorp]

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