Psychology Terms A–Z

Logotherapy is a form of therapy based on the belief that finding meaning in life is the most fundamental human drive. It helps people discover purpose even in the midst of suffering.

Different ways people tend to express themselves, respond to others, and handle needs or conflict.

The repeated ways people tend to talk, react, listen, and disconnect in relationships.

A developmental difficulty involving speech, language, understanding, or social communication.

Awareness of yourself and the world around you, including your thoughts, sensations, and experiences in the present moment.

Suspiciousness refers to an excessive tendency to distrust and be on guard about other people's intentions and actions. Unlike healthy caution, it creates ongoing doubt even in everyday relationships, leaving you feeling unsettled and uneasy.

It's a state of helplessness where you don't want to do anything. A drop in motivation can be a signal that your mind needs rest.

A therapy technique that uses one or two chairs to express unresolved feelings and explore inner conflict.

A personality pattern where it's difficult to make decisions on your own and you rely excessively on others.

The id is the most primitive part of the mind, responsible for instinctual needs and impulses. It operates entirely on raw desire and biological drives.

A couples therapy approach that helps partners understand how their childhood experiences with caregivers shape their current romantic relationships, and guides them toward building a healthier, more conscious partnership.

Email anxiety is a psychological state in which a person feels excessive worry and stress about checking or sending emails.

Immigration/migration stress refers to the wide range of psychological difficulties experienced when moving to a new country or culture. It is a major challenge requiring simultaneous adaptation across multiple dimensions including language, culture, identity, and sense of belonging.

Immigrant mental health is a field that addresses how the unique stresses and adaptation challenges experienced during the immigration process affect psychological well-being.

Ivan Pavlov was a Russian physiologist who discovered classical conditioning. Through his research on dogs' salivary responses, he revealed the basic principles of learning and scientifically demonstrated how a neutral stimulus can come to trigger a response through repeated association.

The emotional changes experienced after the end of a romantic relationship, including grief, anger, and emptiness, along with healthy coping strategies.

Ways of caring for yourself while dealing with the grief, loneliness, or uncertainty that can follow a breakup.

Healthy ways to handle the stress and emotional challenges that come with relocating to a new place.

A classic narcissistic relationship pattern where someone first places you on a pedestal as a perfect being, then gradually tears you down, and ultimately discards you as if you were worthless.

This is a pattern where someone is placed on a pedestal as perfect, then torn down as the worst when disappointment sets in.

The opposite of the stress response, the relaxation response is a physiological state where you consciously calm both body and mind.

Relaxation training uses various techniques to relax your body and mind, helping you fall asleep more easily.

It's the feeling that you yourself seem unreal, or as if you're observing yourself from the outside.

A dual relationship occurs when a counselor and client share another relationship outside of counseling — such as being friends or business partners — at the same time. This situation should be avoided to protect the objectivity of counseling and the well-being of the client.

A double bind is a situation where you receive two contradictory messages at the same time, meaning no matter what you do, you end up in the wrong.

Dual Coding Theory states that processing information through both verbal and visual channels simultaneously leads to much better memory and understanding. It explains why we remember things more easily when we see text and images together.

Double depression is when a major depressive episode occurs on top of an already existing chronic mild depression (dysthymia). It feels like depression has always been your normal, and then an even deeper wave of depression hits.

Dual Process Theory proposes that our thinking operates through two distinct systems: System 1, which is fast and intuitive, and System 2, which is slow and analytical. It is a key concept for understanding everyday judgment and decision-making.

Feeling that two cultures are both part of who you are.

Secondary trauma is a traumatic stress response that develops from exposure to another person's trauma, even without directly experiencing it yourself.

Secondary traumatic stress is psychological distress resulting from indirect exposure to another person's traumatic experience, often through hearing or witnessing their trauma.

A Japanese concept meaning 'reason for being' or 'reason to get up in the morning' — the point where what you love and what the world needs come together.

A form of love in which one genuinely prioritizes the happiness and well-being of another person without expecting anything in return.

The complex emotions and life changes experienced after a divorce, along with healthy recovery strategies. While it is a major life turning point, it can also be the start of a new beginning.

A therapy developed by Carl Rogers that draws out the client's natural healing capacity through warm acceptance and empathy.

Patience is the mental strength to wait steadily without becoming anxious, even when the results you hope for don't appear right away.

Humanistic Psychology is the belief that every person has the potential to grow and realize their true self. It emphasizes respecting yourself as you are and discovering the inner strength within you.

Healthy ways to handle the anxiety and uncertainty that come with major life changes like graduation, career shifts, marriage, or retirement.

Epistemic humility is the honest recognition that your beliefs and knowledge may be incomplete or wrong — and the courage to stay genuinely open to changing your mind.

Factitious Disorder refers to a condition where a person pretends to be ill or deliberately produces symptoms, even though they are not actually sick. It stems from a deep psychological need for the patient role itself, not from any desire for material gain.

The desire to be recognized, accepted, and valued by others. While this is a natural human need, when it becomes excessive, you can lose your own sense of standards and become controlled by others' opinions.

Approval seeking is a pattern of excessively pursuing praise, agreement, or validation from others, and measuring one's self-worth through how others evaluate you.

Race-related stress refers to the psychological tension and stress experienced due to one's racial or ethnic background. It is the burden that accumulates in the mind from exposure to discrimination and prejudice.

The idea of saying race “doesn’t matter,” even though that can hide real inequality and lived experience.

Racial Identity Development is the process by which a person's awareness and attitudes toward their own racial background gradually change and mature over time. It's a deep part of exploring the question 'Who am I?'

Racial trauma refers to the psychological wounds and distress caused by experiences of racism and discrimination. Whether directly experienced or witnessed, these encounters can leave a deep impact on a person's mental well-being.

A treatment approach that helps strengthen attention, memory, and thinking skills through practice.

When memory, attention, or thinking skills become weaker than before.

The four stages proposed by Piaget describing how children's thinking abilities develop over time.

The uncomfortable feeling that comes when your beliefs and your actions do not match.