Latest Terms Added
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Anal-retentive-phase
Freud suggests that the anal stage of development, theorized to happen between the ages of 1 to 3, includes phase of anal retention that Freud describes as having psychological consequences of behavior as a personality trait. A child in this stage concerns themselves with the attainment of completing the toilet. The approach that a parent…
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Anergia
Lack of energy, drive, or will to do anything, especially anything structured or organized, is the definition of anergia in psychology and psychiatry. It goes beyond just being ‘tired,’ in fact, it often appears to be an overwhelming inability, both physically and mentally, to start or continue efforts of any kind. One who has anergia,…
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Pederasty
Within the domain of psychology and history, the term pederasty involves a publicly accepted relationship of an adult man and an underage boy during the certain periods of history, most notably in Classical Greece. Traditionally, it included a mentorship and knowledge, some of which might have included sexual interaction. In Greek society, this custom of…
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Dehumanization
The notion of dehumanization in psychology focuses on the concept of perceiving or treating someone in the absence of humanity, primarily by denying the notion of personhood, dignity, or worth. It can manifest in subtle forms such as stereotyping or objectification, and in extreme cases, extreme violence, discrimination, and oppression. For example, during a great…
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Masochism
In psychology, masochism is defined as deriving pleasure (often sexual, but sometimes emotional) from pain, humiliation, or suffering. This was first defined by psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing in the late 19th century, and was based on the writings of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, whose novels contained themes of erotic submission. Although commonly spoken about in sexual…
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Flashbulb-memory
In the field of psychology, flashbulb memories are vividly detailed and long-lasting memories of emotional events and tape recordings of unfortunate experiences. Such overwhelming memories are taken in a snapshot in such a way that a certain “photograph” in mind consists of the event, the people, and the entire occurrence of the moment. For instance,…
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Neologism
In psychology, neologism is defined as the use or the invention of new, meaningless words or expressions, which often possess only personal significance. Although the invention of words is prevalent in daily language and creativity (for example in technology or slang), in clinical psychology it is referred to as language that is atypical in relation…
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Attribution theory
Attribution theory describes the way in which individuals get to know of the factors that cause their actions and also those of other people. It examines how we respond to a question like, why did this happen? or why did the person do this? According to psychologists, when an event occurs we will associate it…
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Overgeneralization
Overgeneralization is a cognitive distortion where an individual is inclined to making a single event his/her reality. Such people see never-ending negative patterns in all events irrespective of any evidence to the contrary. A classic illustrative example is a student’s failure to perform and his subsequent projection of himself as a failure in all his…
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Repression
In psychology, the concept of repression was first developed by Sigmund Freud, and refers to the mechanism of forgetting thoughts, memories, and feelings of desire that causes one distress and the unconscious process by which such memories are placed out of conscious awareness. It acts as a psychological buffer preventing the person from succumbing to…
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Aversion
Aversion is a term representing a lack of interest in a specific object. It describes a feeling of unease disliking, distaste, discomfort, or avoidance of a stimulus, a situation, or a behavior. It is something that comes up often because of experiences that one views as hazardous, and worrying or unwelcoming. It is something that…
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Somnophilia
Somnophilia, also referred to as a sleeping beauty fetish, is a rare inclination to obtain sexual gratification while engaging with someone who is asleep or unconscious. The paraphilia was discussed for the first time by John Money, a sexologist, in the 1980s. The concept of somnophilia is troubling and unethical, as it involves a fetish…
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Just World Hypothesis
The view that the environment, surroundings and societies are fair and follow a set order, where people typically receive what is rightfully theirs. This term was coined by Melvin Lerner (1980) following a series of experiments he conducted in 1966, observing that people could justify the suffering of seemingly innocent people. There are other ways…
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Homogeneity
The degree to which a ‘being’ is same or consists of the same thing. There are various ways of understanding homogeneity in psychology; through cultural, trait-wise, statistical or research-based lens. Homogenous sampling: Gathering a group of research participants that share various similar traits. The extent to which different ethnic or demographic based groups share similar…
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Behavior
Behavior can be understood as the coordinated activity of a living organism, expressed in actions or responses that are observable in relation to internal states and environmental conditions. What the literature says In psychology, biology, and philosophy, the term “behavior” has been defined in a variety of ways. Each definition in the literature emphasizes a…
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Conformity
Psychology defines conformity as the adjustment of one’s behavior, belief, or attitude to that of a group owing to real or perceived social pressure. Psychologists have posited that the impact of social rules on individual self-determination is very significant which is why conformity is so crucial in the analysis of social behavior. There are several…
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Mnemonic
In psychology, “mnemonic” refers to mechanisms that facilitate the encoding, storage, and retrieving of necessary pieces of information. This works by attaching novel information to recognizable structures, stimuli, or links, thus enabling the brain to recollect information more readily. They help a lot in the retention of information in bulk, such as lists of…
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Identification
In psychology, identification is the unconscious ability of an individual to accept the values, behaviors, or attitudes of other persons or groups. It is also considered a way of forming a unique self, particularly in childhood and adolescence, when learners seek advice from parents, peers, or other models. For instance, a child has the habit…
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Temprament
In psychology, temperaments are described as the biological, emotional patterns, and the self-reactions associated with them, which require an early on appearance, and guide how individuals engage with their surroundings. It is an integral element of personality, and, thus, also exerts a considerable influence on behavior, social relations, and emotional advancement. One of the distinctions…
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Heredity
In psychology, heredity pertains to the biological process by which parents transfer biological characteristics to their children. It remains pivotal in the development of particular physical attributes, temperament, intellectual abilities, and even predispositions to certain behaviors or mental health issues. Heredity is carried through genes, which are an array of DNA segments that provide the…