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Hint: It's much later than women.
By Merethe Najjar — Last updated on Oct 26, 2023
Ladies, if you've ever found yourself questioning your man's maturity level, it seems that there may be a scientific reason behind it after all.
A 2013 study suggested that the average period of life in which a woman matures is by the time she's 32 — a full 11 years before men do, at age 43.
Women really do mature faster than men, says most obvious study ever
Now, this is just an average, and some people may never fully mature. But if you're wondering why your guy still thinks poop jokes are the epitome of humor, well, it might simply be because he's less mature. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing!
Men and women involved in the study had their own opinions about it; for example, men were nearly twice as likely to describe themselves as being immature than women were. One in four men believed that they were "actively immature," which they probably either thought was a silly notion that might cause a laugh or a very mature response in which they acknowledged their immaturity.
Do you think that you're the "mature" one in your relationship? Turns out the women involved in the study were also two times likelier to feel that they were the grown-up between them and their significant other.
The VP Director of Programming for Nickelodeon UK, Tim Patterson, was the one who initiated the study. As a man who helps make cartoons for a living, he wondered if men ever really "grow up."
"As a man, especially one who works for a children's channel, the question of men ever reach maturity is one I am well accustomed to."
Just about one-quarter of the women surveyed felt that they made the "big" decisions in their relationship, and the same number of women wished their partner would talk about how they're feeling more often.
These UK ladies also had the same woes that many women around the world have with their men. Some of the biggest issues they named were men finding farts and burping absolutely hysterical, driving too fast, eating fast food at 2 AM, and playing too many video games.
Just about 3 in 10 women admitted to ending a relationship due to not being able to put up with their immature guy's shenanigans, and around 46 percent of women had been in a relationship where they had to mother their partner more than they felt comfortable doing so.
According to the study, the average English woman also has to remind her man to "act his age" more than once per month, which totals out to around 14 times a year. Wow.
The good news for those of us who haven't quite reached the pinnacle of maturation yet? About 1 in 4 people believe that immaturity is healthy for a relationship since it helps keep things fun. And 1 in 3 people found it an important part of bonding with children.
So ladies, if you think your man is a bit less mature than you'd like, or you're the one laughing at rude words, then don't fear. Use that immaturity for what it was intended: having fun.
You can see the whole list of "immature signs" below.
Top maturity failings:
1. Finding farts and burps hilarious
2. Eating fast food late in the evening/early morning
3. Playing videogames
4. Driving too fast or "racing" other cars on the road
5. Laughing at inappropriate words
6. Listening to loud music in the car
7. Practical jokes
8. Trying to beat children in games/sports
Let the kids have fun.
9. Staying silent during an argument
10. Not capable of cooking simple meals
11. Recycling the same jokes and stories with your friends
12. Refuse to talk about themselves or have proper conversations
13. Hating books or refusing to read because of (list ridiculous excuses here)
14. Crazy dance moves
15. Mother still does their laundry
16. Mother still cooks them meals
17. Wearing sneakers when going out on a date
18. Owning a skateboard or BMX
19. Refusing to eat vegetables
20. Inability to keep a job
21. Getting way too excited over a boy's night out/bachelor party
22. Trying to do stunts on their bikes
23. Driving a modified car with loud exhaust
24. Bragging about their attractiveness to other women
25. Wearing cartoon pajamas
26. Using lame or silly pick-up lines
If you want a partner, this is not the way to do it.
27. Boasting about how much they "lift"
28. Littering
29. Wearing pants that "sag" in the crotch or butt
30. Still using a childish/cartoon bedspread
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Merethe Najjar is a professional writer, editor, and award-winning fiction author. Her articles have been featured in The Aviator Magazine, Infinite Press, Yahoo, BRIDES, and more.