Relationships & Communication

A defense mechanism in which a person attributes their own unacceptable feelings or traits to someone else. Rather than acknowledging an uncomfortable emotion in themselves, they perceive it as belonging to another person.

Partner selection refers to the psychological factors and unconscious patterns that influence how we choose romantic partners or spouses. It goes beyond conscious preferences like appearance or personality to include deep-rooted attachment experiences from childhood.

Phubbing is the act of ignoring someone you're with by focusing on your smartphone during conversation. It can create an invisible wall in your relationships.

Platonic love is a form of love built on pure emotional connection and deep friendship, without sexual attraction or romantic feelings.

The Pygmalion Effect is the phenomenon where higher expectations from others lead to genuinely better performance in real life.

Downward comparison is the psychological phenomenon of gaining comfort by comparing yourself to someone who is worse off than you. It's a common way people protect their self-esteem when they feel threatened.

A state in which a student struggles with academics, peer relationships, and behavior due to difficulty adapting to the school environment.

A condition where a person has normal intelligence but experiences significant difficulties in specific academic areas such as reading, writing, or math.

The Golden Child refers to a child who is especially idealized and praised within a family. While it may look positive from the outside, this child often suffers under the pressure of needing to be perfect.

A repair attempt is any small or large effort made during conflict to reconnect and steer the relationship back in a positive direction. It's a core element of healthy relationships, as highlighted by Dr. John Gottman.

Earned Secure Attachment describes a state where someone who grew up with insecure attachment later develops the qualities of secure attachment through meaningful experiences and conscious effort.

A scapegoat is the person in a family or group who gets blamed for everyone else's problems. The group focuses all its tension and conflict onto this one individual.

A form of love where you willingly give up your own needs or interests for the other person. It's beautiful, but a healthy balance is essential.