Maturity (psychological)

Maturity is a psychological term used to indicate that a person responds to the circumstances or environment in an appropriate manner; this response is generally learned rather than instinctual. Maturity and inanity need not be mutually exclusive, for maturity is more of an understanding for when each of the two behaviors is appropriate. Psychologist B.W. Roberts explains that in an explicit model of personality, one's personality must be viewed from both the perspective of the actor and the perspective of the observer. Therefore, one's maturity is not measured solely on how he views himself, but by how others view him as well. By this definition, how an individual feels about himself is no more legitimate than how others feel about him, and so it is important that this individual gains a certain level of maturity as he grows older to earn the respect of others.