Psychology Terms A–Z

Survival mode is a state where your body and mind focus solely on surviving during extreme stress or crisis situations.

Survivor guilt is the deep sense of guilt felt by someone who survived a disaster, accident, or illness while others were harmed or killed, leaving them questioning why they alone made it through.

Your body’s internal timing system for sleep, energy, and hunger.

Eco-grief is the deep sadness and mourning felt in response to the loss of species, ecosystems, and natural environments due to human-caused destruction.

Ecological Systems Theory proposes that a person's development is shaped by multiple layered environmental systems, including family, school, society, and culture. To truly understand a person, we must understand the entire environment surrounding them.

Lifestyle Medicine is a medical approach that prevents and treats disease through changes in lifestyle habits such as nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management. Mental health is also an important part of lifestyle.

The Schachter-Singer Theory proposes that emotions are created by combining a physical bodily response with a cognitive interpretation of that response. The same racing heart can become excitement or fear depending on how you interpret the situation.

Narrative identity is the way we understand 'who we are' by weaving our life experiences together into a single, coherent personal story.

Declarative memory refers to memories of facts and experiences that you can consciously recall and put into words. It's the 'knowing what' type of memory.

The deepest stage of sleep, during which the body repairs itself and strengthens immune function.

When there are too many options, deciding can get harder and feel less satisfying.

The more options we have, the harder it becomes to decide and the less satisfied we feel afterward. Too many choices can actually lead to stress and regret.

It's the ability to focus on specific information out of countless stimuli around you. What you notice changes depending on what's on your mind.

It's when you focus only on the negative parts of a situation while ignoring the bigger picture. Your mind zooms in on one flaw and uses it to judge the whole experience.

Selective Mutism is an anxiety disorder where a person is unable to speak in certain situations. The ability to speak is there, but anxiety makes it impossible to get words out.

Choosing to act in ways that genuinely help others.

It's that frustrating experience where a word or name you clearly know seems to hover right on the tip of your tongue, yet you just can't quite retrieve it.

Persuasion techniques are psychological strategies and methods used to change another person's attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors. They range from honest communication to manipulative tactics that exploit emotional vulnerabilities.

Flashbulb memory is the phenomenon of remembering a highly emotional event with vivid, photograph-like clarity. Moments of great shock or joy can remain strikingly clear in our minds for years.

Delirium is a state where consciousness suddenly becomes confused, attention drops, and cognitive function changes rapidly. It commonly appears after physical illness or surgery and can be recovered with appropriate treatment.

A chronic pain condition characterized by widespread pain throughout the body, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Stress and psychological factors have a significant impact on symptoms.

A serious psychological condition related to food intake, where extreme changes in eating behavior appear.

Gender roles are the norms that society and culture set for the behaviors, attitudes, and traits expected of men and women. They can vary across different eras and cultures.

A deep, inner sense of which gender you belong to. It may or may not align with the biological sex assigned at birth.

Personality traits are consistent patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that show up across time and different situations.

Personality psychology is a branch of psychology that studies how an individual's personality is formed, what traits it consists of, and how it influences behavior.

A condition where rigid, inflexible patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving cause ongoing difficulties in everyday life. These patterns are deeply ingrained and hard to change without support.

Fear of success is a state where a person becomes increasingly anxious as they get closer to achieving their goals and unconsciously engages in self-sabotaging behaviors. It stems from fear of the changes, responsibilities, and expectations that success may bring.

Successful aging refers to growing older while maintaining physical health, cognitive function, and social engagement in a fulfilling way. It's not just about living longer — it's about living well.

Sexual dysfunction refers to a condition where persistent difficulties occur at any stage of the sexual response cycle, causing significant distress.

Sex offender treatment is a specialized therapeutic process that addresses the psychological causes behind sexual offending to prevent reoffending and help individuals develop healthier behavioral patterns.

Gender Dysphoria refers to the psychological distress experienced due to the mismatch between the gender identity a person experiences and the gender assigned to them at birth. It is not a disorder in itself — the focus is on the distress that arises from this incongruence.

Integrity means acting consistently according to your own values and principles. It's the inner strength to do what you believe is right, whether or not anyone is watching.

The tendency to be organized, responsible, and goal-oriented in everyday life.

An emotional difficulty in adulthood where a person experiences excessive anxiety and fear when separated from someone important to them.

It's the belief that abilities can be developed through effort. Something you 'can't do yet' is very different from something you 'can never do.'

Thriving is a state of living that goes beyond simply getting by — it means growing vibrantly and flourishing richly in life. It's when both your mind and your life grow and bloom together.

How you understand and describe your experiences of sexual or romantic attraction. Sexual identity is distinct from gender identity, your inner sense of your own gender.

Sexual orientation is the enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction toward people of a particular gender. It is a natural characteristic, not a choice.

Sexual trauma is the deep psychological pain and lasting emotional wounds caused by experiences of sexual violence or violation, which continue to affect daily life and wellbeing.

Sexual abuse involves forcing sexual acts or sexually exploiting someone without their consent. It is a serious form of violence that leaves deep wounds on both the body and the mind.

When grades don't rise despite hard effort, the frustration can be overwhelming. Examining your study methods can help you find a breakthrough.

Quiet, sustained reflection on an experience, question, value, or possible direction in life.

The inner drive to overcome challenges and attain high levels of performance, fueled by the desire to set and accomplish meaningful goals.

A coercive process that breaks down a person’s existing beliefs and pushes new ones onto them.

Intergenerational trauma occurs when the psychological effects of a major trauma experienced by parents or grandparents are passed down to the next generation. Pain that was never directly experienced can still be transmitted through family.

Transgenerational trauma is when the effects of trauma experienced by one generation are passed down to children and grandchildren. The psychological wounds of parents or grandparents can shape the lives of those who never directly experienced the original events.

A neurotransmitter involved in mood stabilization, sleep, and appetite regulation. Low serotonin activity is associated with depression and anxiety.

An antidepressant that increases serotonin in the brain by blocking its reabsorption into nerve cells.

A Self-Care Plan is an intentional, daily routine you create to nurture your physical, emotional, and social well-being. Let's work with Mindy to build a self-care routine that's uniquely yours!