Why do we look younger?

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I feel like my emotional age (remember, these comparisons we make are based on what's the norm for neuro-typicals, not what's normal for us) is 13, and to make it more difficult, my physique isn't really different from that age either; my waistline has varied up/down from the ususal fat, but at the moment (age 63) I'm 32" and the same 5' 7" I was at 13. Makes for some occasional problems with "ready-to-wear" clothing.

I used to wonder about this, and I used to have the same experiences re: carding in my thirties. I also remember in HS we had a priviledged "Senior Table" in the lunchroom, and while I was eating lunch there in the beginning of my senior year, one of the senior girls sat down and said to me "You won't be able to sit here after this; this is reserved for the senior class!"

I know there were other times, just can't remember them right now.

I used to feel immature before I finally realized it was the "muggles" who were the really immature ones

(if someone can come up with some word like "mundie" (mundane people?), then I guess I can call NT's 'muggles', besides, I do feel something like a wizard!)

Then that's understandable. But if they still stick around after you tell them how old you are, there's something weird about that.



Well, that's a normal reaction. AS or not, most people tend to be attracted to people who at least look close to their own age. But where there's a big age difference, one has to wonder what the two involved are looking for: the guy (recaptured youth/young girls) and the girl (a father figure?).

People can fool you. I had a similar situation happen to me when I was 21 - I lived next door to a guy who looked OLDER than me (old enough looking that the other kids sent him in to a store to buy alcohol and he GOT AWAY with it). I was interested in him for a while and one night he hit on me. Someone else took me aside and said to stay away from him because he's only 15. I was shocked/amazed/insert adjective here. I can understand how it happens, but had I still pursued the guy, there would have been something wrong with me.



But when you were 16-17 you looked older?



Five years isn't that big of a deal in age difference. I'm talking about guys in their mid 20s' and older (mainly mid 30's and 40s - old enough to be a father of a teenager). There is something about the idea of it that really, really disturbs me.

People thought I was older when I was a kid, even when I was 16 and 17. Now lot of people think I'm younger. Some think I am 16 or 17. Even my ex said last year I look younger and the only time I looked older is when I wore my work uniform, same with some clothes I'd wear.


My mother told me when I was in my early teens that people will start thinking I am younger than I really am when I reach my adulthood and she was right. She knew because it happened to her. I asked her how does she know and that was when she told me.

I think it has to do with non-verbal communication. We act younger than we really are, and this affects our NVC, which is such a big component of appearance for most people.

Well, I WISH I looked my emotional age (I'v got arrested development - mentally/emotionally I'm around 15). Like you, I've stayed more or less the same size all of my life.

I guess because we act younger and childish.. some people look younger because they take care of themselves.

I guess because we act younger and childish.. some people look younger because they take care of themselves.

When I'm at work people ask me if I'm on homestudies, or depending on the season if I'm enjoying my spring or summer break. They also ask me what highschool I go to or what grade I'm now in. One guy wanted to make sure I had a work permit. When I tell them my age (25), they practically choke on their spit. This isn't something that happens a few times a year, it's almost a daily basis. On average people guess about 16.

I don't know mabe it's a little of both (mannerisms & lack of facial expressions). I do dress comfortably and move and sit and often behave the way a child does. I also don't have very expressive expressions. I don't smoke, and rarely drink. I also don't fake tan or go outside with the purpose of getting one. I guess for me it could be alot of things, mabe even just genetic.

When I was younger people used to assume I was at least three years older than my current age. Now they assume that I'm younger! Last year, when applying for my license (and voter's registration all at once) my driver's ed teacher tried to convince me I wasn't old enough to vote, and didn't believe me when I told her I was 18. And even though I try to dress in a more sophisticated manner I still get mistaken for 16. It doesn't bother me too much, but I think it will once I turn 21.

I think a lot of it is how much we use our facial muscles. Mannerisms and maturity are a key role as well. Regardless of all of this, make sure you enjoy it once you get older!

People have thought I have looked around 10 years younger. But then again, I generally stayed out of the sun so that might have something to do with it.

I supposedly look a lot younger than I am. Sometimes it drives me nuts, because of the way people react when I tell them they should try adding 10-12 years to how old they think I am. It pisses me off still being asked for ID. Especially since I don't drive/have a licence, or carry my passport everywhere.

In my case I think I look younger because of my genes, because I hate the sun, and probably also because I am off in my own world all the time my face is likely expressionless. you know that blank look....yep, she's off with the fairies, look.

Even though I've smoked since I was 14. Go figure.

This looking young thing has been a pain in the ass all of my life.
In school it wasn't a huge deal fortunately as all were the same age.
But whenever i went on vacation people always assumed i was much younger.
Abroad in countrys where the drinking age was 18 it was a pain in the ass having to walk around with a passport in order to get a beer.
I started doing this around 19 years old when i started drinking more often.
The sentance "you are not 18" pissed me off the most.
Here in the Netherlands i fortunately only got carded twice in all of my life when buying beer.
You only have to be 16 to buy beer here.
However when buying vodka etc i still ussually get carded if the same person hasn't helped me before.

Nowadays whenever i meet someone new they expect me to be 18 ish.
Having the beard growth compareble to a 14-16 year old proberbly doesn't help out much.
It pisses me off that people sometimes at age 15 can trim theyr beard to make it look good.
While if i let it grow it's all much too thinly covered to look good.
Than there is ofcourse my build.
My arms fit like 3 times in my brothers arms.
I'm basicly strongly build up to my waist.
The upper part is much more slender, and no matter how much i work out doesn't get broader than my waist.
On the other hand no matter how thin i get my waist doesn't get slender.
So all in all it looks alright, because i work out alot and watch what i eat.
But if i had somebody elses body i know i'd have an awsome figure.

I think it's just in our genes that we develop much slower physically.
The rest of my family also does look younger on average.
But due to them having a heavy build it isn't all that noticable.

Wow this explains a lot! I have always wondered why I look so young. people still think I'm 16, I'm actually 21.

Well I guess its a blessing rather then a curse ,just think when I'm 55 Ill look 27 lol

The day I turned 18, I had two people think that I was 15. About half a year ago there was this guy on the street advertising something about voting, I passed him, he was like "your defiently not old enough to vote" and Im 19. Not very surprisingly. Im 19 and Im guessing I look 16, the most I know is that I look underage. I for the most part think its because Im also asian and its pretty common for asians to look young especially since were often quite petite.

When I was 12, I was mistaken for 18. Now I'm 25 and mistaken for a teen. It seems to run in my family.

Im 30 and most people assume that I am a student (but then I do dress like one). I think looking young for me is partly to do with lack of facial expression and perhaps younger mannerisms, but not completely - my NT mother also looks young for her age, so there must be some other genetics going on there too.