What is Immaturity? Concept and Characteristics of Immature Thinking

The concept of "infantile" carries two distinct meanings, both describing a state of immaturity. In medicine, it refers to a state of physiological underdevelopment; whereas in everyday life, "infantile" describes manifestations of rawness and lack of maturity in one's thoughts and actions.

Infantilism in Medicine: Hypogonadism

In medicine, "infantilism" refers to a condition of hypogonadism in animals. The body has reached biological adulthood but still retains morphological and physiological characteristics of an immature stage, with incomplete development of reproductive organs and inability to reproduce normally.

This condition typically arises during the post-fetal developmental stage, and can be caused by various factors such as endocrine disorders, genetics, or environmental influences. For example, a pet dog that has reached reproductive age but whose reproductive organs are still small and underdeveloped, or a mature rooster that is unable to mate and fertilize. These manifestations significantly affect the overall health and reproductive capacity of the animal.

Childishness in Philosophy and Common Language: Immature thinking

When referring to people, "幼稚" (ấu trĩ - infantile) is a characteristic expression for a way of thinking and behaving that lacks maturity, is naive, and distinctly childish. A person with an infantile mindset often struggles to confront reality, is easily swayed by emotions, and has inefficient ways of solving problems.

Characteristics of an individual with an infantile mindset

Below are some common characteristics of people with infantile mindsets in daily life:

• Superficial, inadequate understanding of the problem:They often only see the surface of things, without delving deeply into the causes or related factors. For example, when they see a friend succeed, they only look at the result without understanding the efforts and difficulties that friend has gone through.
• Lack of life experience and deep understanding:Due to limited interaction or an unwillingness to learn from experiences, they often make superficial judgments. A recent graduate might think starting a business is easy simply by copying another's successful model, overlooking significant risks and challenges.
• impulsive actions, lacking consideration for consequences:Their decisions are often based on immediate emotions rather than careful consideration of long-term consequences. A person might spend lavishly on unnecessary items just because of momentary pleasure, without thinking about future financial plans or more important expenditures.
• Easily swayed by negative emotions:When faced with pressure or failure, they often easily fall into a state of sadness, anger, or blame others without trying to overcome it rationally. For example, an employee who is criticized by their boss might immediately get angry and quit their job instead of listening and improving.
• Struggle to find effective solutions:Due to their simplistic approach to problems, they often fail to propose thorough solutions. Instead of analyzing the root cause of a family conflict, they might simply try to avoid it or blame others, prolonging the tension.
• Making wrong decisions due to lack of careful consideration:Lack of experience and limited vision lead to inefficient choices, affecting oneself and those around them. A young person might hastily invest in a "get rich quick" business model on social media without thorough research, leading to financial loss.

Examples of childish thinking in Vietnamese life

In the context of Vietnamese society, manifestations of childish thinking can be seen in many aspects:

• In an educational environment:Some students still have a "studying for the sake of it" mindset, memorizing without understanding the core issue, or only caring about grades without focusing on skill development. This demonstrates immaturity in their perception of the true purpose of learning.
• On social media:The phenomenon of "keyboard warriors" is a typical example. Many people easily make harsh, critical comments and judgments about others without thoroughly understanding the situation or anticipating the consequences of their words. Useless arguments and uncontrolled statements on platforms like Facebook and TikTok often stem from immature thinking. According to statistics from the Ministry of Information and Communications, tens of thousands of accounts are blocked or fined each year for violating social media conduct rules, a significant portion of which is related to a lack of mature thinking.
• In Work:Some working individuals still maintain a dependent attitude, lack proactiveness in their work, or easily give up when facing difficulties. They may expect high salaries even with limited experience and capabilities, without understanding that value must be created through dedication and effort. Businesses often require a minimum of 1-2 years of experience when hiring, which not only signifies time spent but also maturity in problem-solving thinking.
• In relationships:Demanding absolute attention, unreasonable jealousy, or an inability to accept the partner's flaws are also signs of immaturity in love and personal relationships. Experience shows that lasting relationships are often built on understanding, respect, and forgiveness, qualities that individuals with an immature mindset often struggle to achieve.

How to overcome childish thinking?

To overcome immature thinking, each individual needs to be aware of the problem and proactively train themselves:

• Learning from experience:Don't be afraid to face difficulties and learn from mistakes. Every stumble is an opportunity to grow.
• Developing critical thinking:Practice asking questions and analyzing issues from multiple perspectives before drawing conclusions or taking action. Don't just accept one-sided information.
• Emotion management:Train your ability to recognize and control negative emotions. Instead of acting impulsively, take time to think and calmly seek solutions.
• Expand knowledge and vision:Read books, learn about many different fields, and interact with experienced people to broaden your worldview.
• Responsible for your actions:Admit mistakes and proactively correct them instead of blaming others or circumstances.

Overcoming immaturity is a continuous process that requires perseverance and effort. It helps each individual mature, become capable of confronting and solving life's problems effectively, and contribute more positively to the community.

---Reference information. This content is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition.