Crying, just like smiling, is just a display of emotion. Just because babies typically cry more than older people and babies are considered immature, does not mean crying is a sign of immaturity. This is just bad logic. What is important is why a person is crying, not the act of crying. The same can be said about smiling. Some people smile when bad things happen to others, so smiling is not necessarily a good sign either.
Being upset when you feel you may have done something wrong sounds like a sign of a strong sense of responsibility. The library example you give is a sign of maturity on the part of the child, not necessarily on the part of the librarian IMHO. A child showing they are concerned over having done something wrong sound mature to me. A billionaire wining when the cost of a newspaper goes up 5 cents would in my mind be an immature act. I say act as one act immature act does not mean the person is entirely immature.
However, I don't like these all encompassing terms like mature and intelligent. People are a complex mix of characteristics. No one person is at the same maturity level in all ways. The academic level a child is at should determine the academic level they are placed in. Even the academic level may vary across different courses.
Last edited by JamieH; 03/08/11 03:39 PM.
