Disambiguating links to Maturity (link changed to Maturity (psychological)) using DisamAssist.← Previous revisionRevision as of 21:30, 5 November 2026 Line 2: Line 2: [[File:Brain maturation ages 5-20.gif|thumb|The pruning process is shown in this clip that was constructed from [[MRI scan]]s of healthy children and adolescents. The time-lapse animation compresses 15 years of brain development (ages 5–20) into just a few seconds. Red indicates more gray matter, blue less gray matter. The changes in color from yellow/red to blue show the pruning process (source: [[National Institute of Mental Health|NIMH]]).]] [[File:Brain maturation ages 5-20.gif|thumb|The pruning process is shown in this clip that was constructed from [[MRI scan]]s of healthy children and adolescents. The time-lapse animation compresses 15 years of brain development (ages 5–20) into just a few seconds. Red indicates more gray matter, blue less gray matter. The changes in color from yellow/red to blue show the pruning process (source: [[National Institute of Mental Health|NIMH]]).]] '''Mental age''' is a concept related to [[intelligence]] and [[maturity]]. It looks at how a specific individual, at a specific age, performs intellectually, compared to average intellectual performance for that individual's actual chronological age (i.e. time elapsed since birth). The intellectual performance is based on performance in tests and live assessments by a psychologist. The score achieved by the individual is compared to the [[median]] average scores at various ages, and the mental age (''x'', say) is derived such that the individual's score equates to the average score at age ''x''. '''Mental age''' is a concept related to [[intelligence]] and [[Maturity (psychological)|maturity]]. It looks at how a specific individual, at a specific age, performs intellectually, compared to average intellectual performance for that individual's actual chronological age (i.e. time elapsed since birth). The intellectual performance is based on performance in tests and live assessments by a psychologist. The score achieved by the individual is compared to the [[median]] average scores at various ages, and the mental age (''x'', say) is derived such that the individual's score equates to the average score at age ''x''. However, mental age depends on what kind of intelligence is measured. For instance, a child's intellectual age can be average for their actual age, but the same child's [[emotional intelligence]] can be immature for their physical age. Psychologists often remark that girls are more emotionally mature than boys at around the age of [[puberty]]. Also, a six-year-old child [[intellectually gifted]] can remain a three-year-old child in terms of emotional maturity.L.K. Silverman, 1997. "Asynchronous development" is now an accepted aspect of maturation. ''Peabody Journal of Education'', Vol. 72 Issue 3/4 However, mental age depends on what kind of intelligence is measured. For instance, a child's intellectual age can be average for their actual age, but the same child's [[emotional intelligence]] can be immature for their physical age. Psychologists often remark that girls are more emotionally mature than boys at around the age of [[puberty]]. Also, a six-year-old child [[intellectually gifted]] can remain a three-year-old child in terms of emotional maturity.L.K. Silverman, 1997. "Asynchronous development" is now an accepted aspect of maturation. ''Peabody Journal of Education'', Vol. 72 Issue 3/4