Maturity is the longest period in the process of ontogenesis, covering the age from about 25 to 65 years. Often the concept is identified with adulthood, but this is far from the same thing. The theme of the proposed article is the psychological maturity of the individual. In it you will get answers to questions about what its main features are and whether every person is an adult at 30.
Psychological maturity: concept
There is no single approach in defining what it is. The only indisputable statement is that one can speak of maturity at a time when a person is at the peak of his intellectual, physical and spiritual abilities. Its maturation occurs gradually and marks the transition:
- from subordination to the elders in the family - to equality;
- from addiction to independence;
- from the simplest set of reactions to external influences - to a diverse behavioral repertoire;
- from a carefree life - to awareness of one's responsibility forevents;
- from primitive hobbies to more complex interests.
Impulsive actions of a person are replaced by deliberate steps, building a long-term perspective based on previous experience. It is the latter that is able to force a person to abandon momentary achievements in the name of obtaining more serious benefits in the future. What periods of psychological maturity do scientists distinguish?
Early maturity
Its beginning coincides with the period of youth. The authors disagree in determining the exact age limits, but the most common point of view is the position of V. Ginzburg. According to him, guys enter a period of psychological maturity from 16 to 24 years; girls growing up a little earlier - from 15 to 20 years old.
What characterizes this stage? A person is included in all types of social activity: he is endowed with legal and voting rights, creates a family, realizes himself professionally and learns economic responsibility. Having absorbed information about various social roles, a person begins to apply it in relation to himself.
A. Tolstykh argues that during this period there is a beginning of the realization of the emerging opportunities for self-development. The main problem is often cited as the tension between isolation and intimacy with others. At this time, you need:
- find harmony between reality and dreams;
- get a mentor;
- decide on a career;
- line up a sphereintimate and personal communication.
Medium maturity
At about the age of 40, the psychological maturity of a person reaches a new level. This is connected with the search for answers to vital questions: about the meaning of existence, the realization of desires.
People are undergoing a reassessment of values, revision of claims. The ability to rethink the surrounding reality, to become interested in new people, to influence one's future, to become a real professional, to be realized in creativity is being formed. But this is also a time of doubt. Any person wonders if he chose the right path. He is haunted by the fear of reduced performance, there is a need to choose new goals. A common reason is the difference between desires and reality.
A new level of maturity is associated with the emergence of problems that are often associated with a mid-life crisis. Scientists believe that overcoming it is connected with the solution of the following personal tasks:
- shaping civil liability;
- achieving a certain standard of living;
- optimal leisure activities;
- deepening the personal aspect in relationships with loved ones, helping children;
- accepting and getting used to your own physiological changes;
- maintaining aging parents.
Late maturity
The psychological maturity of a person is associated with retirement, so its age limits are flexible. There are three most important points that allow us to talk about the new,independent stage in the development of the individual:
- change activities;
- survival;
- preservation of values and basic content of life.
It is important for a person to overcome the feeling of unnecessary anxiety, emptiness, excessive focus on oneself. This is achieved through:
- active involvement in social, family and community relationships;
- appearance of tolerance in relationships with other people;
- emotional resilience;
- accepting the real, not the desired picture of the world;
- the ability to self-knowledge and the formation of the existing system of values.
Scientists note: one of the most important moments of psychological maturity in old age is the correct feeling of one's age, overcoming the contradictions of a person's spiritual, biological and psychological capabilities.
About age
All levels of maturity are associated with a personality crisis. F. Perls believes that its main indicator is the ability to find a way out of an impasse, relying on one's own resources. Maturity allows you to overcome frustration and fear, being able to take risks and make responsible decisions. But J.-M. Robin, for example, who basically shares the opinion of a colleague, finds it possible to accept help from outside. The main indicator of personal immaturity, in his opinion, is helplessness. And finding a way out of the impasse, whether at the expense of personal resources or with the help of others, is an indicator of adulthood.
Psychological age may not coincide with the calendar. And at the age of 15 there are absolutely mature individuals, and at 30 - people who are not able to be responsible for their actions and deeds. In order to understand, let's take a closer look at the psychological characteristics of maturity. The authors identify a different number of features, we will focus on the most significant, which will be disclosed below.
Authenticity
From ancient Greek the word is translated as "authentic" and echoes the concept of "congruence". It is about the adequacy and consistency of the elements. In this context, it is comparable to the word "originality" and is one of the most important indicators of the psychological maturity of a person.
The phenomenon is described by the American scientist D. Bugental, including the following points:
- real awareness;
- freedom of choice here and now;
- awareness of one's own responsibility for this choice.
Authentic person is sincere in momentary manifestations and in behavior in general. He does not pretend to be knowledgeable, in love, or contented in response to the expectations of those around him. Many seek to play roles by putting on masks and wasting energy on putting on a decent exterior without solving the inner problems. In response, they also receive insincerity, finding it difficult to decipher the real attitude of other people towards themselves.
Authentic personality spends time solving problems that arise, not hiding behind someone else's mask. It is capable of being flexible in anysituations.
Accepting Feelings
It's about being honest with yourself. A mature person is open to life experience and accepts the full range of his own feelings. And not just the socially approved ones. The environment often prompts us to repress sadness, anger, irritability, and other negative emotions. From childhood, parents teach: "do not cry", "do not show excitement", "do not worry". But if emotions are constantly forced out, in the future they will become the root cause of uncontrollable behavior in the most unexpected moments.
Psychological maturity means experiencing the feelings that arise. Only this way allows us to control our own behavior, to be tolerant not only in relation to ourselves, but also to other people. If a person is aware of his reactions, then he is able to competently regulate response actions.
Developing Self-Knowledge
What else characterizes psychological maturity? The characteristic of this person includes the development of self-knowledge. For without understanding oneself it is impossible to effectively build communications with others. This process helps you be realistic about yourself and better understand others.
A mature person should be aware of what she wants to achieve in life, what is important to her and what is not. She constantly adjusts her values. She should not become a reflection of the hopes of others, but mustact according to their own convictions. This allows you to feel strong in interpersonal contacts.
Resilience to uncertainty
Many get lost in situations where there is no clarity, no structure. But a person often has to get into someone else's territory, so he needs confidence in the absence of certainty. We often do not know what problem we will face and what decisions we will have to make. Confidence in one's own intuition, the adequacy of feelings, the belief in the constructiveness of decisions and the ability to take justified risks - all this helps a person to endure the tension created by uncertainty. This is also the lot of mature individuals.
Other important signs
Let's talk about mental maturity. Most scientists attribute the following features to the characteristics of maturity:
- Personal responsibility for decisions made. It helps to think differently about criticism, seeing it as useful feedback.
- The absence of fear when building close relationships. A person himself determines the distance with others, freely expressing his feelings.
- Setting realistic goals in communication. It's about abandoning perfectionism and taking responsibility for failed relationships. It is more important to learn useful lessons without feeling guilty.
- The presence of empathy - the ability to perceive the feelings of other people. Taking them into account in the process of communication allows you to build the right communications.
Probably, many have met the mention of socio-psychological maturity. What is it about?
Personality and Society
Psychological maturity is a multidimensional concept, one of the sides of which is interaction with society. It is impossible to live apart from his problems and aspirations.
The social aspect is, first of all, the rejection of existing stereotypes. Focusing on their own needs and feelings, a mature person is less susceptible to manipulation and the influence of the crowd.
But at the same time, a mature individual accepts the world with all its laws, imperfections and even suffering. He does not try to change what has evolved over the centuries, but spends resources on improving the micro-society in order to be in harmony with the environment and bring maximum benefit. Social and psychological maturity is evidenced by:
- sense of responsibility;
- social intelligence, the ability to anticipate changes in social processes;
- care for others;
- activity in society;
- applying knowledge and skills to benefit others;
- overcoming problems on the way to self-realization.
Only the social environment can form a mature personality.
Levels of psychological maturity
Each person has a different degree of socialization: the number of contacts, the level of interaction, life values on the basis of which communication is built. This allows scientists to distinguish levels of maturity: low, high and medium. Among the main criteria are external and internal. The first is the degree of mastery of socialcompetencies listed in the article.
The second includes personality traits: empathy, sociability, adequate self-esteem, responsibility, attentiveness, tolerance, etc.
The higher a person's desire for self-knowledge and self-development, the faster he learns life lessons, developing responsibility and tolerance, the higher the level of maturity he has.
Instead of a conclusion
You can often hear the concept of "psychological school maturity". What is this about? We found out that early adulthood begins at the age of 15-16, when boys and girls study at a comprehensive school. They are distinguished by self-sufficiency, the presence of beliefs and worldview, as well as the formation of those qualities that characterize a mature personality.
