07.01.03 The Difference Between Emotional Intelligence and Emotional Maturity

The Difference Between Emotional Intelligence and Emotional Maturity

Emotional Intelligence and Emotional Maturity could sound similar but are actually not the same. As already discussed, emotional intelligence is the ability to recognise, understand and effectively manage your feelings and those of other people in your space; displaying self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. Emotional maturity, on the other hand, refers to expressing those abilities in a responsible manner; with restraint, consistency, accountability and balance even under pressure. How do you react when you encounter intense emotions, unmet expectations or difficult situations especially when caught off-guard?

To elaborate further, an individual may be emotionally intelligent yet emotionally immature. For instance, an emotionally immature person may understand his or her emotions, recognise what is happening in a situation and even articulate it clearly, yet respond with impatience, defensiveness or control. The person has the EI skills but lacks the discipline to consistently and practically apply them. She or he shows that ‘emotional intelligence’ is not only present but has been developed into dependable conduct. In other words, she or he can display emotional intelligence skills and sustain them over a long period of time.

In simple terms, emotional intelligence equips a person with the ability to understand and manage emotions, while emotional maturity demonstrates that those abilities have been formed into stable, reliable behaviour. Emotional intelligence refers to capacity and skill, while emotional maturity refers to stability and consistent expression of character.