Category: S

A stressor is any event, condition, or stimulus that physically or psychologically triggers stress. These can be short-term or acute, like an important exam, or long-term and chronic, like persistent problems with one’s finances. They can be classified into three categories described as environmental, physical, or social; environmental includes factors like noise and crowding, psychological […]

The focus of social influence outlines the ways people change their behavior, attitude or belief because of the actions of others, or their presence around them. It involves processes like conformity, compliance, and obedience. For instance, someone of younger age may dress in a certain way in order to ‘fit in’ with a particular group […]

Within the context of psychology, the notion of suffering is posited to encompass the conscious mental phenomena of distress and pain which can take on physical, emotional, or philosophical dimensions of existence. Suffering is not like pain, which is purely a sensation, for suffering entails a qualitatively deeper personal construction of pain infliction. Cognitive and […]

Within the context of psychology, ‘self’ refers to an individual’s sense of self-identity, as well as self-appraisal. It encompasses self-concept (beliefs about oneself), self-esteem (evaluation of worth), and self-awareness (consciousness regarding thoughts and patterns of behaviors). The self is formed and develops through relational interactions, while being influenced by culture, experiences, and personal relationships. The […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Within the domain of psychology, the term stimulation denotes the process through which the senses, the mind, or the body gets activated by the reception of internal or external information, thereby encountering a change in perception, feeling, or behavior. External stimulation could include sights, sounds, or social interactions. Internal stimulation includes thoughts or feelings. For […]