Development-based Internal Age

Development-based Internal Age:

Development-based Internal Age is one way that systems, groups, and/or headmates can experience internal age.

In systems with development-based internal age, members will identify with/as an age because where they are in terms of development mirrors those who are bodily that age, and not necessarily because it is meaningful to them in any way.

An example of this would be a member who is considered 14 because what milestones they have and haven't passed mirrors or is the same as those who are bodily that age.

In these cases, it may be helpful to use their internal age (and body age) as a guide to appropriate socialization. However, personal boundaries and capabilities are still important to keep in mind.

Related Terms
Metaphor-based Internal Age is another way that systems and/or headmates can experience internal age.

There is not a sharp cutoff between development-based internal age and metaphor-based internal age, but a fuzzy spectrum that can have overlaps.