Acting young versus immaturity

[GooseChaser]

What is the difference between acting young, which could be seen as a positive, and immaturity, which is more negative? Is immaturity one of your turnoffs? What are some red flags or signs that someone is immature? Does immaturity depend on the age? (For example, if someone is 18, some behavior will be natural for them, but the same behavior in a 25 year old would seem childish?) Do you like to see some youth in how people act? What are your thoughts?

[EasyHeart]

To me, "acting young" means being curious, open-minded, playful and enthusiastic. It's about being able to go to a place for the hundredth time and still see something new and exciting. Or being able to make mundane tasks (like grocery shopping) fun and exciting. "Old" people have a 'been-there-done-that' attitude and don't get excited about much of anything.

 

And "being immature" means lacking empathy and integrity. Mature people say what they mean and mean what they say. They treat other people with respect and are able to put themselves into another person's place -- the whole "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" thing. Immature people are selfish and are always wondering "What's in it for me?" and "Can I get away with it?"

 

And like you said, neither have anything to do with age. I know 16 year olds who are way more mature than some 40 year olds.

[Knittress]

I like what Easyheart said, but I also think one big difference between someone acting young or someone acting immature is whether they understand the concept of context-appropriate.

[sagetalk]

Immaturity:

 

 

• Drinking too much
  
• Partying too much
  
• Too easy
  
• Just wants to have "fun" all the time and not be serious
  
• talks flirtatiously with attractive members of the opposite sex when with you
  
• Compares you to past relationships negatively
  
• Talks about and shows how "independent" they are
  

And that's just for starters. Unfortunately, they are all fairly common.