Biologically it's possible to indicate the approximate age when a person reaches full physical maturity. However, emotional maturity is more challenging to define or distinguish. While physical and emotional maturity are subjective, typically, a person reaches physical maturity before becoming emotionally mature. For example, it's likely that a teenager would be physically mature but not emotionally mature enough to become a parent.
In fact, one study showed that the average man doesn't reach full emotional maturity until age 43, while women mature by age 32. That's an 11-year difference! Yet, again, the topic is very subjective. And while there are no tools (yet) available to determine the exact age one becomes 'ripe,' there are so-called signs of maturity. Similarly to how psychological conditions are diagnosed via symptoms, so can full psychological maturation be determined by signs of emotional maturity.
While signs of maturity in a man and woman may differ, gendering signs of maturity is irrelevant. So what exactly are those cues that a person has reached full emotional growth? When a Reddit user came in with the same question, numerous people chimed in in a Reddit thread sharing their personal experiences and the various signs of a mature man or woman.
Below, we've gathered some of their most upvoted answers sharing signs of a mature person. Do you agree with any of these statements? Which behavior or state of mind would you consider a sign of maturity? At what stage of emotional maturity would you consider yourself to be right now? Let us know!
#22
"Sometimes it's better for an argument to never happen than for you to win it."
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14points
#24
"Knowing when to put others before yourself and when you need to prioritize yourself."
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14points
#26
"Fully understanding that there are many different ways of looking at a problem and that not everyone will understand that."
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14points
#27
"Being happy and proud for the successful people in your life without comparing yourself to them and at the same time being proud of your your own life."
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14points
#28
"Being able to make a sincere apology. 'I'm sorry you took it that way' is not a sincere apology."
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13points
#35
"I don't need to tell people they're doing something wrong unless they ask me for my advice. I still often find myself biting my lip trying not to correct someone but I'm learning!"
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12points
#36
"Not getting embarrassed about necessary purchases. As a teenager and young woman, I got antsy purchasing tampons, picking up my birth control and even buying toilet paper."
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12points
#37
"Ohh, the weather is finally warm and sunny, what a good day to do laundry."
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12points
#38
"When you realize that just because something is for children, it doesn't mean it's childish."
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12points
