

Take The AQ Test - ColinWright
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html?HN

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asher_
For what its worth, for the people questioning the test, it is the current
standard for measuring autistic-like traits (not for diagnosing any autism
spectrum disorders). The test was constructed by one of the leading
researchers in the field (Baron-Cohen).

I studied this test (and took it) recently as part of one of my psych units. I
took it twice at different times and scored 37 and 40, which unsurprisingly
was the highest in my psych class (I'm quite an outlier there).

The test is based on Baron-Cohen's (he's the cousin of Sacha - a bit of
trivia) 'extreme male brain' theory of autism; that traits typical of male
brains are seen in the extreme in people with ASDs. This in turn is based on
the Empathizing-Systemizing theory, which you can read about at
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathizing%E2%80%93systemizing...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathizing%E2%80%93systemizing_theory)

I would expect that many of the folks here at HN score very highly on the
systemizing quotient (SQ).

Remember, none of this is meant as diagnosis, the AQ is just a measure of the
presents of certain traits, it does not measure how extreme they are.

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sirwanqutbi
39!! I think I'm of the new strand in human evolution ... I've always wondered
what socializing really meant? ..

I mean I know for sure, I care for people more than some of the social
butterflies out there, so I don't think anyone could argue that Asperger's
people are cold hearted people.

It's just evolution stripping away the part of your brain that will soon
become obsolete.

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darklajid
Interesting that they just measure the tendency (slightly/definitely scores
the same).

I 'scored' (really? Maybe my usage of this word is just too limited, but I
imagine a football/soccer fanatic shouting 'SCOOORE' whenever I read/use that)
23.

Talking completely out of my rear end: If the average was 16.4 assuming a
'normal' and representative group of adults, than I'd _expect_ a higher
average score here, in a much more biased group of hackers.

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singular
Hmm 40. Isn't it that fashion to consider yourself autistic these days
however? I've never been diagnosed nor am I really considered to have those
tendencies by others (afaik anyway :) I'm not certain of the veracity of this
test either. These multiple choice agree -> disagree tests always seem a
little cargo cult to me.

Or perhaps I'm just in denial :)

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tomjen3
My problem is that the test assumed that all answers were binary. You either
do it or you don't but they didn't consider that context matters. Sometimes
you don't enjoy others company. Sometimes you do.

Sometimes you enjoy meeting people, sometimes you don't. I enjoy meeting
_interesting_ people. Most people are just stupid clones that you can more or
less predict completely just by knowing 5 facts about them.

The test seems designed to get inflated scores.

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jwingy
So I understand that scoring higher means a higher chance of having autistic
tendencies...does the opposite end signify anything else besides having a
lower chance? (I scored a 13 fwiw)

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chmielewski
I'm in the 22 club. I wonder, if a particularly high score suggests autistic
behaviour, what does a particularly low score say about you (below 10)?

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kellishaver
26 - I remember taking this several years ago and getting a 26 then, as well.
Apparently I'm consistent.

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rohit89
21 for me. I always have trouble with "Slightly agree/disagree" options in
tests like this.

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3pt14159
11 (looks to be the lowest so far).

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dkoch
I was lower by one, 10.

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AlexV
I scored 25. Whatever that means...

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li-ch
Same here. Based on the replies so far, the HN average is 23.15385.

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TMK
I scored 22.

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mofle
Me too ;)

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umarmung
22 is the new 42! :)

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abdulhaq
15 FWIW

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mgkimsal
17!

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stralep
24

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ishi
Me too! But my wife could have told you that.

