Anyone involved with geeks will know that we share many character traits with those suffering Asperger syndrome: obsessive attention to detail, social awkwardness, and some difficulty relating to other people. A few years ago, I ran across a test used to diagnose Asperger syndrome, and was surprised to note that it seems like a thumbnail description of your average geek.

Being a geek, I decided to port the test from dead trees to PHP and Javascript. You can find your AQ by filling in the form below.

Note: This test has been developed using Firefox 2.x and tested on IE7. If you are not using one of those browsers, and hey, even if you are: caveat typor. There has been at least one report of Safari users being unable to see their results.

Questions answered: 0/50

What's your AQ?

Cambridge psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen and others designed this test, published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2001. This test was devised from a Globe and Mail article.

Choose your response to each question: Definitely agree, slightly agree, slightly disagree or definitely disagree.

  1. I prefer to do things with others rather than on my own.
  2. I prefer to do things the same way over and over again.
  3. If I try to imagine something, I find it very easy to create a picture in my mind.
  4. I frequently get so strongly absorbed in one thing that I lose sight of other things.
  5. I often notice small sounds when others do not.
  6. I usually notice car number plates or similar strings of information.
  7. Other people frequently tell me that what I've said is impolite, even though I think it is polite.
  8. When I'm reading a story, I can easily imagine what the characters might look like.
  9. I am fascinated by dates.
  10. In a social group, I can easily keep track of several different people's conversations.
  11. I find social situations easy.
  12. I tend to notice details that others do not.
  13. I would rather go to a library than a party.
  14. I find making up stories easy.
  15. I find myself drawn more strongly to people than to things.
  16. I tend to have very strong interests, which I get upset about if I can't pursue.
  17. I enjoy social chitchat.
  18. When I talk, it isn't always easy for others to get a word in edgeways.
  19. I am fascinated by numbers.
  20. When I'm reading a story, I find it difficult to work out the characters' intentions.
  21. I don't particularly enjoy reading fiction.
  22. I find it hard to make new friends.
  23. I notice patterns in things all the time.
  24. I would rather go to the theatre than a museum.
  25. It does not upset me if my daily routine is disturbed.
  26. I frequently find that I don't know how to keep a conversation going.
  27. I find it easy to "read between the lines" when someone is talking to me.
  28. I usually concentrate more on the whole picture rather than the small details.
  29. I am not very good at remembering phone numbers.
  30. I don't usually notice small changes in a situation, or a person's appearance.
  31. I know how to tell if someone listening to me is getting bored.
  32. I find it easy to do more than one thing at once.
  33. When I talk on the phone, I'm not sure when it's my turn to speak.
  34. I enjoy doing thing spontaneously.
  35. I am often the last to understand the point of a joke.
  36. I find it easy to work out what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at their face.
  37. If there is an interruption, I can switch back to what I was doing very quickly.
  38. I am good at social chitchat.
  39. People often tell me that I keep going on and on about the same thing.
  40. When I was young, I used to enjoy playing games involving pretending with other children.
  41. I like to collect information about categories of things (types of cars, types of birds, types of trains, types of plants, etc.).
  42. I find it difficult to imagine what it would be like to be someone else.
  43. I like to plan any activities I participate in carefully.
  44. I enjoy social occasions.
  45. I find it difficult to work out people's intentions.
  46. New situations make me anxious.
  47. I enjoy meeting new people.
  48. I am a good diplomat.
  49. I am not very good at remembering other people's date of birth.
  50. I find it very easy to play games with children that involve pretending.

The test assesses five different areas. Autistic-like responses will show poor social skill, attention switching, communication and imagination, and an exaggerated attention to detail. In other words, geekiness. You scored XXX. The ranking below provides some idea of where that AQ fits in.

Score
32 - 50 Scores over 32 are generally taken to indicate Asperger's Syndrome or high-functioning autism, with more than 34 an "extreme" score.
   31  
   30  
   29  
   28  
   27  
   26  
   25  
   24 Average math contest winner
   23  
   22  
   21 Average male or female computer scientist
   20  
   19 Average male scientist, and average male or female physicist
   18 Average man
   17 Average female scientist
   16  
   15 Average woman, and average male or female biologist
   14  
   13  
0 - 12  

Disclaimer

This test is designed for fun. It is not meant to test you for any disorder (real or imagined). You can't glean anything meaningful from this test without consulting with a mental health professional. It is not intended to make light of those who are suffering from autism or Aspergers syndrome. If you are worried about your mental health, see a professional.
Comments (1,150)

1,150 Responses to “Asperger Test (AQ Test)”

« Older Comments
  1. Posted by Miroku
    2008.Jun.28 @ 11:31

    15 Average woman, and average male or female biologist.

    Um okay?

  • Posted by Matt T
    2008.Jun.28 @ 16:05

    jesus christ…42, that must confirm my suspicians

  • Posted by Scott
    2008.Jun.29 @ 02:55

    Wow – I scored 47 – at least this may explain why people say that I’m shy and a motor-mouth at the same time

  • Posted by Cory
    2008.Jun.29 @ 08:18

    i may have cheated, i have got aspergers but i cam up average

  • Posted by darthg
    2008.Jun.29 @ 09:18

    I scored 20, two more than the average man. I assume I’m alright.

  • Posted by Nicky
    2008.Jun.29 @ 16:07

    I scored 4.. that seems quite low!

  • Posted by minda
    2008.Jun.30 @ 14:58

    Score:
    25

    Info:
    22 years old, female, from Canada, Caucasian, BSc Computer Science and Psychology, currently employed as a Programmer for the Canadian government, IQ 130+, MBTI E 30% N 15% F 65% P 30%, free time spent socializing, doing Kundalini yoga, cooking ethnic dishes (Indian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, African), painting and otherwise creating things. No free time is spent programming, gaming or doing anything remotely technical/mathematical.

    Relevant Trivia:
    I have in fact done Math Tests, as suggested by my rating. In grade 9, I memorized the first 100 digits of pi (3.141592654..) for extra points in Math class. I learned to play chess when I was 7. I like numbers and always remember telephone numbers, house numbers, etc. My visual memory is in the 15th percentile of people, my auditory memory is in the 98th percentile of people (I can’t remember the things I see – I tend to miss many details). I ran for political office (green party) a few years ago. I have 350+ contacts on Facebook,indicating I have a wide social network.

  • Posted by Wondering
    2008.Jul.01 @ 01:08

    Well, 13. What does that mean!!

  • Posted by just me
    2008.Jul.01 @ 14:17

    36 but then again I already have been diagnosised so has my son. I had done this test before and scored 48 but have now found an understanding friend and have been working really hard to improve my social skills…… guess it is true hard work and determination can produce results although I will never stop analyzing idioms cause they just don’t make sense.

  • Posted by pawsalmighty
    2008.Jul.02 @ 05:16

    I scored a 38, I am diagnosed with Asperger’s however I thought it would be interesting to see how my score would come out, I guess the test is accurate. On the topic of accuracy, there is a grammatical error, or typo in question 34 that is most irritating.
    I just thought I would mention it!

  • Posted by pawsalmighty
    2008.Jul.02 @ 05:18

    I would imagine that I should not have made a grammatical error in my comment about grammatical errors, that is going to bother me all day as I do not see any sort of edit options!

  • Posted by Chad Longstaff
    2008.Jul.02 @ 21:22

    45
    I’d encourage anyone who scores highly to get in touch with a good teacher… one can manage tolerably well with the right framework.

  • Posted by JUGGERNAUT
    2008.Jul.02 @ 22:50

    44…i’m a biocybernetics engineer and pro muay thai lightweight contender…

    i’m developing a cardiac wavelet triggered transdermal drug delivery system…
    before goin back to grad school i was an overweight coke drinking bioinformatics programmer who couldn’t score pussy to save his life…
    since taking up this bloodsport i have dropped 65lbs and can land bombs on a guys skull…

    to all male aspies: if u r a superb athlete and can decimate ur opponents like a juggernaut…u don’t need social graces…women will throw themselves at u…
    even better if they r thai and can’t speak a lick of english! lol

  • Posted by Meme
    2008.Jul.03 @ 00:16

    I got 20!! I think that is good. I am also a computer technician/programmer. So I guess that is where I should be?

  • Posted by :o
    2008.Jul.03 @ 07:58

    I got 11 . Thankfully I don’t have this disorder.

  • Posted by dna
    2008.Jul.05 @ 16:21

    I scored 33, but I think the test a little exaggerates… I think a lot of my answers was an social average. No everyone need to like going to parties.

  • Posted by Angele
    2008.Jul.05 @ 17:26

    38 — Explains why I own a computer company and drive my husband and family completely insane…

  • Posted by Matt
    2008.Jul.05 @ 21:20

    11, panentheist/liberal Christian

  • Posted by Jeanie
    2008.Jul.06 @ 00:47

    32. interesting and might explain some things…

  • Posted by Freddy
    2008.Jul.08 @ 15:24

    32… 80% chance that i may have aspergers’s. What are the treatments? How effective are they? I’ve always had problems understanding people. Sarcasm always flew right past me. I never “got it”… It’s getting in the way of any chance of career advancement. I need help…

    12

  • Posted by alice P
    2008.Jul.09 @ 07:22

    I’m 38…althoughI feel quite normal…

    you can’t rely on this test

  • Posted by daveh
    2008.Jul.09 @ 14:42

    48yrs (internally locked at 30-something)
    Got 18 .. I’ll get me coat.

  • Pingback from Online Aspberger’s Test « K’ CREATIVE -A MIXTURE OF CULTURES-
  • Pingback from Das habe ich schonmal nicht | gorgmorg:ungelesen
  • Pingback from What Guru’s are Saying : What’s Wrong With You?
  • Pingback from Jag är den personlighetstesterna säger att jag är « valross d.y.
  • Pingback from This Mixed Company » Blog Archive » Asperger’s Anonymous
  • Pingback from Aspergers or Geek? | The Magik Path
  • Pingback from Estima – the best test on the net
  • Pingback from From the Pie Palace Mailbag – Pie Palace
  • Pingback from cognitive therapy « robb monn
  • Pingback from AQ « Ordlogg
  • Pingback from Stuff
  • Pingback from “Average Female Scientist” « The Ego Chronicles
  • Pingback from Aspergers (Autism) Do you know what it is? – Dating & Relationship Discussion Boards – eHarmony Advice
  • Pingback from Heartbreaking – Pie Palace
  • Pingback from Random Shit Vol. 3 « Idempotent
  • Pingback from Common Sense Atheism » The Irrational Atheist (notes in the margin, part 1)
  • Pingback from AQ test makes it big – Pie Palace
  • Pingback from Asperger Test (AQ Test) | flakes of nuisance
  • Pingback from So anyway… » Geekwoman
  • Pingback from I can has Asperger? « Dr. Smiter's Bog… er, Blog
  • Pingback from Test for Aspergers Syndrome | Article Overdrive Article Directory
  • Pingback from What. « The Braindead Blog?
  • Pingback from Asperger’s and me | Aspergian
  • Pingback from My Blog » Aspergers or Geek?
  • Pingback from The Swamp – Science has proven that I am an anti-social nerd
  • Pingback from Take the Asperger’s Test | facebook dating
  • Pingback from Siguiendo la cadena: mis memes | Rafael Nájera’s Website
  • Pingback from Douglas Coupland–Marshall McLuhan (2009) [Extraordinary Canadians Series] « I Just Read About That…
    • « Older Comments