Mental Health

Men Mature 11 Years Later Than Women, Study

By Christine Hsu | Update Date: Jun 11, 2013 04:11 PM EDT

Boys enter puberty later than girls, so it comes to no surprise that men mature later than women. What's shocking is just how much longer it takes men to mature completely.

A new study adds new meaning to the phrase "boys will be boys" after researchers found that men mature 11 years later than their female counterparts at the ripe age of 43.

Researchers looking into the differences in maturity between genders revealed that both men and women believe that males remain "immature" well into their late 30s and early 40s, according to the Daily Mail.

On the other hand, the study found that women mature completely at the age of 32.

The poll revealed that eight out of ten women believe that men "never stop being childish" about passing gas, burping, eating fast food late at night and playing videogames.

Other signs of immaturity include staying silent during arguments, not being able to cook a simple meal, and repeating the same old jokes and stories when they're with the guys.

It's not just women who think men are childish.  Men themselves were nearly twice as likely to describe themselves a immature than women, with one in four men admitting that they are actively immature.

The poll found that women were twice as likely as men to feel that they were the "adult" in their current relationship, and one in four women felt they were the ones who made all the important decisions in the relationships. 

However, being immature isn't just fun and games.  The survey found that three in ten women have ended a relationship because they lost patience with their partner for being too immature. Nearly half of women have been in a relationship in which they felt they had to "mother" their partner, according to the UK survey. In fact, the survey found that the average female respondent had to tell her partner to "act his age" more than once a month and at least 14 times a year.

Researchers note that there are some benefits to being immature.   The survey revealed that four in ten people say immaturity is sometimes important because it ensures that the relationship stays fun and fresh, and one in three people believe immaturity helps in bonding with children.

The survey was conducted by Nickelodeon UK.

Top 30 Signs of Immaturity in Men

1. Laughing at their own farts and burps

2. Eating junk food at 2am

3. Playing videogames

4. Driving too fast or 'racing' another car at the lights or on the highway

5. Sniggering a bit at rude words

6. Driving with loud music

7. Playing practical jokes

8. Trying to beat children at games and sport

9. Staying silent during an argument

10. Not being able to cook simple meals

11. Repeating the same jokes and stories when with the guys

12. Dislike talking about themselves or having a real conversation

13. Hating books because they have short attention span or think they're boring

14. Doing crazy dance moves

15. Their mother still does their laundry

16.Their mother still makes them breakfast or any meal

17. Wearing sweatpants to night clubs

18. Owning a skateboard or BMX

19. Not eating vegetables

20. Changing jobs regularly

21. Getting too excited over a bachelor party

22. Trying to do wheelies or other tricks on their bike

23. Driving a modified car or one with a loud exhaust/boy racer

24. Showing off about how girls are attracted to them

25. Wearing pajamas, specifically cartoon pajamas

26. Using cheesy pick-up lines

27. Showing off about protein shakes/weight-lifting/how much they 'lift'

28. Littering

29. Wearing baggy jeans

30. Having cartoon bed sheets

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