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Science & Tech > Psychology


Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.


acatamathesia the inability to understand data presented to the senses.
acathisia a psychological condition characterised by agitation and a frequent desire to alter the posture.
aesthesia the ability to receive sense impressions.
aesthesiogen something producing sensation, esp a stimulus or suggestion producing a sensory effect on a subject under hypnosis.
aesthesiogenic producing or causing a sensation.
aesthesis the ability to receive sense impressions.
affective of, arising from or influencing emotion.
affectively (Adv.) AFFECTIVE, of, arising from or influencing emotion.
affectivity the quality of being affective.
agelast (Greek) someone who never laughs.
alexithymia an inability to recognize, understand, and describe emotions.
allocheiria attribution of a sensation to the wrong part of the body.
allochiria attribution of a sensation to the wrong part of the body.
ambiversion the state of being an ambivert.
ambivert someone who is both extroverted and introverted.
anaclisis the state of being anaclitic, characterised by strong emotional dependence on others.
anaclitic characterised by anaclisis, strong emotional dependence on others.
anality a stage of infantile psychosexual development that is thought to involve a preoccupation with the anus and defecation.
apophenia the tendency to mistakenly perceive connections and meaning between unrelated things.
apperception the mind's perception of itself as a conscious agent.
apperceptive relating to apperception.
appercipient relating to apperception.
associationism the theory which considers association of ideas to be the basis of all mental activity.
associationist one who believes in the theory of associationism.
attentional relating to attention or concentration.
attuent performing the function of attuition, a mental operation intermediate between sensation and perception.
attuite to be conscious of by attuition.
attuitive relating to attuition, a mental operation intermediate between sensation and perception.
attuitively (Adv.) ATTUITIVE, relating to attuition.
audile a person whose mental processes are stimulated more strongly by hearing than by other senses.
autism absorption in imaginative activity directed by the thinker's wishes, with loss of contact with reality.
autology the scientific study of oneself.
autoscopic relating to autoscopy, hallucination of an image of one's body.
autoscopy a hallucination of an image of one's own body.
autosuggestion an influencing of one's own attitudes, behavior, or physical condition by mental processes other than conscious thought.
autosuggestive relating to autosuggestion.
avoidant of behaviour, demonstrating a tendency to avoid interaction with others.
behavioral (US) relating to behaviour.
behaviorally (Adv.) BEHAVIORAL, relating to behaviour.
behaviorism (US) the psychological theory that behaviour is governed by conditioning rather than internal processes and that by changing behaviour patterns it is possible to treat psychological disorders.
behaviorist a student of behaviorism.
behavioristic relating to behaviorism.
behaviourism the psychological theory that behaviour is governed by conditioning rather than internal processes and that by changing behaviour patterns it is possible to treat psychological disorders.
behaviourist an adherent of behaviourism.
behaviouristic relating to behaviourism.
biophilia innate love for the natural world, supposed to be felt by all mankind.
biopsychology the branch of psychology, or of biology, which deals with the interaction of mind and body, and the effects of this interaction.
bisociation the association of an object with two or more ideas.
bisociative relating to bisociation, the association of an object with two or more ideas.
cathect to charge (an idea, impulse, etc.) with mental energy or emotion.
cathectic invested with mental or emotional energy.
cathexis (Lat.) the investment of emotional energy in a thought or idea.
cenesthesia general consciousness or awareness of one's body.
cenesthesis general consciousness or awareness of one's body.
cenesthetic relating to cenesthesia.
cerebration the unconscious action of the brain.
cerebrotonia the temperament associated with ectomorphic body type characterized by introversion and hypersensitivity.
cerebrotonic (A person) with a personality characterized by shyness, introspection, and emotional restraint.
charisma (Greek) a personal quality or gift that enables an individual to impress and influence others.
claustrophilia abnormal pleasure derived from being in a confined space.
coenaesthesia general consciousness or awareness of one's body.
coenaesthesis general consciousness or awareness of one's body.
coenesthesia general awareness of one's own body.
coenesthesis general awareness of one's own body.
coenesthetic relating to coenesthesia.
conatus (Lat.) a natural impulse or tendency.
confabular relating to confabulation, the fabrication of past experiences, either consciously or unconsciously to make up for loss of memory.
confabulation the fabrication of past experiences, either consciously or unconsciously to make up for loss of memory.
confabulator one who confabulates.
connectionism the theory that connections between neurons govern behaviour and thought.
conscionability the state of being conscionable.
conscious having the feeling or knowledge of something (noun) the conscious mind
consciously (Adv.) CONSCIOUS, having the feeling or knowledge of something.
cryptaesthetic of or relating to supranormal perception.
cryptesthesia supranormal perception, eg clairvoyance.
cryptesthetic of or relating to cryptesthesia..
cryptomnesia latent or subconscious memory.
cryptomnesic relating ot cryptomnesia, latent or subconscious memory.
deindividuation the loss of a person's sense of individuality and personal responsibility.
demonomania an obsession with demons.
deprogram to prevail on a person to reject obsessive beliefs.
deprogramme to prevail on a person to reject obsessive beliefs.
ego the 'I' or self.
egocentric concerned with the individual rather than society (noun) an egocentric person
egocentrically (Adv.) EGOCENTRIC.
egocentricity the state of being egocentric.
egocentrism being egocentric.
egoist one who practices egoism.
egoistic relating to or displaying egoism.
egoistical relating to or displaying egoism.
egoity personality.
egoless not characterized by egoism.
eidetic marked by or involving extraordinarily accurate and vivid recall (noun) a person with eidetic recall
eidetically (Adv.) EIDETIC, marked by or involving extraordinarily accurate and vivid recall.
encraty (Greek) self-control.
engram a hypothetical change in neural tissue due to memory.
engramma a hypothetical change in neural tissue due to memory.
engrammatic relating to an engram.
engramme a hypothetical change in neural tissue due to memory.
engrammic related to an engram, a hypothetical change in neural tissue due to memory.
enneagram a personality system involving nine distinct personality types.
entoptic within the eyeball; (noun) a visual phenomenon originating inside the eye.
eros (Greek) the sum of the self-preservative, as opposed to self-destructive, instincts.
erotisation the act of erotising.
erotise to invest with erotic significance.
erotization the act of erotizing.
erotize to invest with erotic significance.
esemplastic having the power to shape disparate things into a unified whole.
esemplastically (Adv.) ESEMPLASTIC, having the power to shape disparate things into a unified whole.
est a programme designed to develop human potential.
esthesia the ability to receive sense impressions.
esthesis the ability to receive sense impressions.
exhibitionistic characterised by exhibitionism.
extensity massiveness or spatial quality in sensation from which perception of extension is derived.
formication an abnormal feeling like the sensation of ants crawling on the skin.
ganzfeld a technique of controlled sensory input used in parapsychology.
gestalt (Ger.) a shape or pattern; most often used in psychology to describe a theory or approach which aims to see something as a whole rather than breaking it into separate parts.
gestaltism gestalt psychology.
gestaltist an adherent of gestaltism.
groupthink a pattern of thought characterized by self-deception and conformity to group values.
hangup an obstacle; a psychological problem.
haptic relating to the sense of touch.
haptical relating to the sense of touch.
hivemind the shared mind of a group.
horme goal-directed or purposive behaviour.
hormic relating to horme, goal-directed or purposive behaviour.
ideative relating to ideation, the power of the mind to form images.
imago (Lat.) an idealized mental image of a person; an insect in its final, adult, sexually mature, and typically winged state.
inconscious not conscious.
individuation the development of the individual from the universal.
intersensory relating to interaction between the senses.
introject to incorporate external ideas and attitudes into one's own personality.
introjection the incorporation of external ideas and attitudes into one's own personality.
introvert to turn inwards.
kinesthesia a sense of the body's movement or of muscular effort.
kinesthesis a sense of the body's movement or of muscular effort.
kinesthetic relating to kinesthesia.
kinesthetically (Adv.) KINESTHETIC, relating to kinesthesia.
libidinal relating to the libido.
libidinally (Adv.) LIBIDINAL, relating to the libido.
libido (Lat.) psychic drive or energy, esp that associated with the sexual instinct.
lifeworld the way an individual experiences the world.
limen (Lat.) a threshold, a limit below which a stimulus becomes imperceptible.
limerence a state of mind resulting from romantic attraction, characterized by feelings of euphoria, the desire to have one's feelings reciprocated, etc.
liminal of or relating to a sensory threshold; barely perceptible.
ludic relating to play, playful.
ludically (Adv.) LUDIC, playful, sporting.
metapsychic relating to metapsychics, the study of psychic phenomena beyond the limits of ordinary or orthodox psychology.
metapsychical relating to metapsychics, the study of psychic phenomena beyond the limits of ordinary or orthodox psychology.
metapsychics the study of psychic phenomena beyond the limits of ordinary or orthodox psychology.
metapsychology speculation on the origin, structure and function of the mind.
mneme the persisting effect of the memory of past events.
mnemic relating to the mneme, the persisting effect of the memory of past events.
momism excessive attachment towards one's mother; excessive mothering.
motile able to move oneself about, capable of self-locomotion; (noun) a person whose imagery naturally takes the form of actions.
nisus (Lat.) a mental or physical effort to attain an end, a striving.
nolition an adverse action of will; unwillingness.
nonego all that is not a part of the ego or conscious self.
noology the science of the intellect.
noometry mind-measurement.
objective relating to or constituting an object (noun) a goal or aim
objectively (Adv.) OBJECTIVE, regarding or setting forth what is external, actual, practical, uncoloured by one's own sensations or emotions.
obsession the morbid persistence of an idea in the mind.
obsessive subject to obsession (noun) someone affected or characterized by obsessive behaviour
obsessively (Adv.) OBSESSIVE, subject to obsession.
oedipean pertaining to the libidinous feelings of a son towards his mother.
omphaloskepsis the contemplation of one's own navel to induce a mental trance.
oneirology the study of dreams.
oniric pertaining to dreams.
orchidomaniac one with an excessive enthusiasm for orchids.
orectic pertaining to desires and their satisfaction.
orective pertaining to desires and their satisfaction.
orexis (Greek) an appetite.
palpation the act of touching or feeling.
panegoism solipsism.
pansexual relating to pansexualism, the view that mental activity is derived from the sexual instinct; (noun) an adherent of this.
pansexualism the theory that all thought derives from the sexual instinct.
pansexualist a believer in pansexualism.
pansexuality the state of being pansexual.
paragnosis knowledge of matters immune to scientific investigation.
parapraxis a slip of the tongue or pen that reveals the unconscious mind.
parapsychic related to parapsychism.
parapsychical related to parapsychism.
parapsychism panpsychistic parallelism.
parapsychology the study of unexplained mental phenomena.
paratonic resulting from external impulse.
pareidolia a psychological phenomenon involving a vague and random stimulus being perceived as significant eg seeing faces in clouds.
pathic passive; (noun) a passive subject.
pleonexia excessive or insatiable covetousness.
preconscious of memories, ideas, etc currently absent from, but which can be readily recalled to, the conscious mind; (noun) the preconscious part of the psyche esp in psychoanalysis.
preconsciously (Adv.) PRECONSCIOUS, below the level of consciousness.
prepossession a fixed conception likely to preclude objective judgment of anything seeming to be counter to it.
presentationism the doctrine of immediate cognition of objects.
presentationist an adherent of presentationism.
presentiment a feeling that something will or is about to happen.
presentimental relating to presentiment.
proprioception the sense of muscular position.
proxemic relating to proxemics, the study of the human use of physical space in nonverbal communication.
proxemics the study of the human use of physical space in nonverbal communication, esp the distances that people maintain between themselves and others while interacting.
pseudaesthesia imaginary feeling or sensation.
pseudomutuality a relationship between two persons in which conflict of views or opinions is solved by simply ignoring it.
psion a (hypothetical) psi particle.
psionic relating to a psion, a hypothetical PSI particle.
psych to defeat or intimidate another person by psychological means.
psychasthenia an incapacity to resolve doubts/uncertainties or to resist obsessions/compulsions that one knows are irrational.
psyche the mental structure of a person.
psychist a person interested in psychical research.
psycho a psychopath.
psychogenesis the origin and development of the mind.
psychogenetic relating to psychogenesis, the origin and development of the mind.
psychogenetical relating to psychogenesis, the origin and development of the mind.
psychogenetics the study of internal or mental states.
psychogeriatric relating to the study of the psychological problems of old age.
psychoid the hypothetical regulative principle controlling the behaviour of an organism.
psychokinesis the movement of physical objects by the mind without use of physical means.
psychokinetic relating to psychokinesis.
psychologic of or relating to psychology.
psychological of or relating to psychology.
psychologically (Adv.) PSYCHOLOGICAL, of or relating to psychology.
psychologise to speculate in psychological terms or on psychological motivations.
psychologism a theory that applies psychological conceptions to the interpretation of historical events or logical thought.
psychologist one who practises psychology.
psychologistic relating to psychologism, a theory that applies psychological conceptions to the interpretation of historical events or logical thought.
psychologize to speculate in psychological terms or on psychological motivations.
psychology the science of mind and behavior.
psychonomic relating to psychonomics.
psychonomics the study of the individual mind in relation to its environment.
psychophysics the study of the link between mental and physical processes.
psychosociology the study of how psychological and sociological factors combine.
psychotechnics the practical applications of psychology.
psychoticism the state of being psychotic.
psyop (Short for) psychological operation.
recept an idea or image formed by repeated similar perceptions.
ressentiment a feeling of resentment and hostility accompanied by the lack of means to express or act upon it.
reverie (Fr.) a dreamlike state.
revery a dreamlike state.
scalogram an arrangement of items, as problems in a test or features of speech, such that the presence or accomplishment at one level implies the presence or ability to accomplish all lower levels.
seity selfhood, personal identity.
selfhood existence as a separate self.
selfism concentration upon self; the selfish theory of morals, that people act from the consideration of what will give them the most pleasure.
selfist a selfish person.
sensorial related to the sensorium.
sensorially (Adv.) SENSORIAL, related to the sensorium.
sentience the state of being sentient.
sentiency the state of being sentient.
sentient capable of sensation (noun) a person or thing capable of sensation
sentiently (Adv.) SENTIENT, capable of sensation.
sexologic relating to sexology.
sexological relating to sexology, the study of sexual behaviour.
sexology the study of sexual behaviour.
sexualism emphasis on sex.
significs the science of meaning.
situationism the theory that behaviour is determined by surrounding situations rather than by personal qualities.
sociopath a person hostile to society.
somatotonia a pattern of temperament and body type in which alertness and aggression are combined with mesomorphic build.
somatotonic relating to somatotonia; (noun) a person who has an extroverted and aggressive personality type.
sortal a concept grasp of which includes knowledge of criteria of individuation and reidentification, such as dog or concerto, but not flesh or music.
stanine a nine-point scale on which test scores can be grouped in descending order of achievement, first developed by the US Air Force.
storge (Greek) natural or parental affection.
structuralism a brnach of psychology concerned esp with the resolution of the mind into structural elements.
structuralist an exponent of structuralism.
subception subliminal perception.
subconscious below the threshold of consciousness (noun) the mental activities just below the threshold of consciousness
subconsciously (Adv.) SUBCONSCIOUS, relating to the mental activities just below the threshold of consciousness.
subvisual below the threshold of visual perception.
superego the strong unconscious inhibitory mechanism which criticizes the ego and causes it pain and distress when it accepts unworthy impulses from the id.
synaesthesia a sensation felt in one part of the body when stimulus is applied to another part, eg visualization of a color on hearing a sound.
synaesthesis harmony of differing impulses from a work of art.
synaesthetic relating to synaesthesia.
synesthesia a sensation felt in one part of the body when stimulus is applied to another part, eg visualization of a color on hearing a sound.
synesthetic relating to synesthesia.
tactual relating to or derived from the sense of touch.
tactually (Adv.) TACTUAL, relating to or derived from the sense of touch.
talismanic of or like a talisman.
telergic relating to telergy, working at a distance.
telergically (Adv.) TELERGIC, relating to telergy, working at a distance.
telergy a physical force assumed to be at work in telepathy.
thanatos (Greek) in Freudian psychology, the urge for destruction or self-destruction.
therapise therapize to subject to psychological therapy.
tuism the theory that individuals have a second or other self.
unconscious not conscious (noun) the part of mental life that does not ordinarily enter the individual's awareness yet may influence behavior and perception or be revealed (as in slips of the tongue or in dreams)
unconsciously (Adv.) UNCONSCIOUS, not conscious.
underself the subconscious self.
upmanship the art of gaining some kind of advantage over others.
verbile one whose mental processes are stimulated by words.
victimologist one who studies victimology.
victimology the study of victims.
viscerotonia a pattern of temperament associated with the endomorphic body type, extravert, sociable and fond of bodily comforts.
viscerotonic in psychology, having a sociable, comfort-loving temperament associated with endomorphy.
visile with mental processes most readily stimulated by visual impressions; (noun) a visile person.
visive of or pertaining to sight; visual; able to see or be seen.
zoopsychology the psychology of the lower animals.