Latest Terms Added
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Zygote
Within the field of developmental psychology, the zygote is recognized as the earliest possible human life stage, initiating the prenatal period which lasts for two weeks. This singular cell with the genetic makeup of a human is created at conception, which occurs when the sperm and ovum unite. This period is also called the germinal…
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Discrimination
Discrimination derives from the unjust or inequitable treatment of people based on socially constructed characteristics, such as one’s race, gender, age, or disability, rather than individual credentials or characteristics. Discrimination occurs on individual, larger institutional and societal levels, and results cumulatively in damage to one’s mental health, loss of self-esteem, and the subsequent loss of…
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Love object
In psychoanalytic discourse, the notion of a “love object” refers to the individual or entity toward which a person channels emotional investment, desire, or affection. Sigmund Freud introduced this concept to illuminate the roots of emotional bonds and the enduring relational patterns first forged in early childhood. Yet, love objects are not limited to caregivers;…
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Self-efficacy
Self-efficacy refers to an individual’s confidence in their ability to manage tasks and reach specific objectives. First outlined by psychologist Albert Bandura, this concept plays a significant role in motivation, learning processes, and resilience. Individuals with strong self-efficacy are generally more persistent and self-assured when facing challenges, whereas those with lower self-efficacy may experience hesitation,…
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Causation
Causation in psychology refers to a scenario where one event or factor directly produces a change in another, rather than merely being associated with it. This distinction is crucial: researchers need to determine whether a variable genuinely influences behavior or mental processes, as opposed to just occurring alongside them. Experimental designs are central here; by…
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Psychic energy
Psychic energy, as conceptualized by Freud, essentially functions as the underlying mental force driving our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Within psychoanalytic theory, this energy is closely linked to the libido, which encompasses the fundamental life instincts and unconscious motivations that shape our actions. The id, ego, and superego core component of Freud’s model of the…
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Persuasion
Persuasion involves influencing people’s attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors, typically through strategic communication and reasoning. Its significance is evident across various domains marketing, politics, and even daily conversations. Psychologists analyze persuasion to understand what sways people’s decisions or makes them agree to something. The Elaboration Likelihood Model, for instance, suggests individuals process persuasive messages in two…
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Mourning
Mourning is basically the way humans’ process loss, especially after someone close dies. It’s a psychological and emotional process. It is as if your mind and emotions are scrambling to adjust when there’s a huge gap in your life. The process covers various emotions like intense sadness and crying to moments of numbness and sometimes,…
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Zeitgeist
The term zeitgeist is translated to the ‘spirit of the time’ which denotes the underlying dominant cultural, social and intellectual tendencies of a specific time period and in psychology how the prevailing social attitudes and contexts impact the behavior, theories, and discoveries of that time. To illustrate, Freud’s theories on sexuality were postulated in a…
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Intimacy
In psychology, intimacy denotes a level of closeness, affection, trust, and connection that exists between people. Intimacy involves more than just intimate contact; it contains mutual appreciation, exposure, and even real vulnerability. For instance, when one partner discusses their most intimate fears and wildest dreams with the other, the partner is exhibiting emotional intimacy. Developmental…
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Hardiness
Personal hardiness refers to the capability to plow through any kind of stress with great resilience. This ability was proposed by Kobasa in the late 1970’s and stems from an individual’s ability to remain committed (mentally and emotionally involved in any endeavor), have control, and view adversity as challenge (seeing constraining and restricting opportunities as…
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Sexual-perversion or Paraphilia
In the past, sexual perversion was described as the deviation from the cultural and moral sexual boundaries. Today, psychology has come to shift it to the term paraphilia, which denotes a sexual interest that is considered atypical and that may or may not be associated with distress or injury. Paraphilia includes sexual interests with no…
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Semantic-memory
Semantic memory is a long-term memory type that focuses on knowledge and concepts that does not concern specific personal experiences or events. Unlike episodic memory which captures personal events, semantic memory is designed to help the individual remember that the capital city of France is Paris, understand how to articulate simple words and sentences, and…
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Suppression
In psychology, suppression is an active defense mechanism, whereby an individual consciously attempts to forget or push unwanted thoughts, feelings, or memories out of consciousness. While unlike repression, which is an unconscious act, suppression is a conscious act used to cope with, or exert control over, a situation that may be perceived as overwhelming or…
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Competence
In Psychology, competence is the ability to perform tasks, solve problems, and meet the demands of life using one’s understanding, skills, and judgment. For instance, a child demonstrating competence in social scenarios will be able to make friends and settle arguments, whereas a competent adult will perform and take charge of sophisticated work activities. Competence…
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Episodic-memory
In psychology, an episodic memory is a form of personal long-term memory involving personal events, including unique memories of people, times, places, and emotions of the related events. Unlike episodic memory, semantic memory is objective and generalized. Personal recollections of one’s life story form the core of an episodic memory, such as reminiscences about one’s…
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Neurosis
Neurosis is a term that refers to a broad range of mental and emotional disorders including anxiety and distress, and coping mechanisms that are maladaptive, without a break from reality. In contrast to psychosis, which is the loss of touch and characterized by the presence of delusions and hallucinations, neurosis refers to excessive worry, irrational…
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Intuition
In psychology, intuition refers to instant comprehension, reasoning or analysis is not needed. It is oftentimes a ‘gut feeling’ or instinct that helps decision-making, particularly when there is a lack of time or information. As an example, a person might meet someone new and instantly feel trust or distrust for them, and not be able…
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Reuptake
In psychology and neuroscience, reuptake refers to the process by which neurotransmitters after being released to send messages between neurons through the synaptic gap, are reabsorbed into the presynaptic neuron. This process is important in the coordination of the neurotransmitters of the brain which include serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Reuptake removes surplus in the neurotransmitters…
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Informed-consent
Informed consent in psychology is the ethical and legal practices of the process by which a practitioner discloses information to a client and secures their understanding and voluntary agreement regarding the proposed intervention’s. The principle argues that an individual should be provided sufficient information in order to exercise autonomy over the decision. Informed consent entails…