Psychology Terms A–Z

The habit of noticing what supports what you already believe and overlooking what does not.

An approach that uses the therapeutic environment itself as a tool for healing. Through everyday interactions in a safe, structured space, it supports social functioning and psychological recovery.

Phantom pain is when a person feels pain or sensation in a body part that has been amputated and no longer exists. It happens because the brain still retains a 'memory' of that body part.

A visual hallucination is the experience of seeing something that does not actually exist. Accurate diagnosis is important because there are many possible medical causes.

Reductionism is an approach that tries to understand complex phenomena by breaking them down into simpler components. A classic example is attempting to explain all mental experiences purely through the brain's chemical processes.

Patient empowerment is the process of helping patients actively seek information about their own health, participate in decisions, and take charge of their own care. It means becoming an active participant rather than a passive recipient.

The sick role describes the behavioral patterns society expects when someone is ill, along with the special rights and responsibilities that come with being a patient. It shows how illness affects not only the individual but also their social relationships.

Phantom limb pain refers to the experience of still feeling pain, tingling, or other sensations in a limb that has been lost due to amputation or injury.

Hearing a voice or sound when no actual sound is present.

A state of extreme happiness and bliss where everything feels wonderful. It's the feeling that the world looks beautiful.

A rapid electrical signal generated by a neuron to transmit information, forming the basis of all thoughts, emotions, and movements.

Vitality is a state of feeling energized in both body and mind, with a sense of enthusiasm and aliveness toward life. It's a warm, vibrant energy that comes from feeling fully alive.

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.

Retrospective bias is the tendency to feel 'I knew it all along' after an event has already occurred. Also known as hindsight bias, it's the illusion that a past outcome was predictable once you already know the result.

Grey matter is the part of the brain and spinal cord where the cell bodies of neurons are concentrated, responsible for processing information and making judgments. It is where our thoughts, emotions, and memories are created.

The Recovery Model is a hopeful perspective that people experiencing mental health challenges can reclaim a meaningful and fulfilling life on their own terms. It emphasizes personal growth and self-determination over the complete elimination of symptoms.

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.

Recovery Capital refers to the total internal and external resources that help a person recover from addiction or mental health challenges. The more abundant these resources, the greater the likelihood and sustainability of recovery.

Recovery-Oriented Care is an approach to mental health services that places the individual's self-determination and hope at the center. Rather than professionals leading unilaterally, it's a partnership where everyone walks the journey together.

An approach that focuses on healing relationships and restoring well-being rather than punishment when harm has been caused by wrongdoing. Victims, offenders, and the community come together to participate in a shared process of healing.

Resilience is the strength to get back up after going through hardship. It's the ability to rise again even after you've fallen.

Recall is retrieving a memory without any cues, while recognition is identifying something you've seen before from a set of options. Even the same memory can feel easier or harder depending on how you're asked to retrieve it.

A self-protection strategy used when dealing with manipulative people, where you minimize emotional reactions and become as boring and unresponsive as a gray rock on the side of the road.

Avoidance is the conscious or unconscious act of staying away from situations, thoughts, or feelings that cause anxiety or distress. While it reduces discomfort in the short term, it tends to strengthen anxiety over time.

Avoidant coping is a stress management strategy in which a person escapes or distracts themselves from the source of stress or the emotions it triggers, rather than addressing the problem directly.

An attachment pattern that keeps emotional distance when closeness starts to feel uncomfortable.

Avoidance behavior is a pattern of deliberately staying away from people, places, activities, or internal experiences that trigger anxiety or discomfort. It brings immediate relief but reinforces fear over time, gradually narrowing one's life.

A pattern of deep fear of rejection that leads someone to avoid social situations and closeness.

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.

Behaviors that produce satisfying outcomes tend to be repeated, while behaviors that produce unpleasant outcomes tend to decrease. It is a fundamental psychological principle stating that the consequences of a behavior determine its future occurrence.

The halo effect is the tendency to rate someone's other qualities more positively simply because of one good trait they have.

The occipital lobe is the region located at the very back of the brain, serving as the core center for processing visual information. Our ability to 'see' the world begins right here.

Hoovering is a manipulative tactic where someone uses various strategies to pull a person who is trying to leave back into a relationship, much like a vacuum sucking things in.

Epigenetics is the study of how gene expression can change due to environment and experience, without any change to the DNA sequence itself. It means our experiences can actually influence how our genes behave.

Finding a way to learn from past choices instead of staying stuck in self-blame.

A Danish and Norwegian concept of coziness, warmth, and contented togetherness — finding deep satisfaction in simple, unhurried moments of comfort and connection.

A psychological state of anxiety and restlessness when one is without their phone, also known as 'Nomophobia.'

Heuristics are mental shortcuts we use to make quick judgments about complex problems. They're not perfect, but they work efficiently in most situations as an intuitive way of thinking.

Rest and recovery is the intentional process of recharging your body and mind's energy. True rest is not laziness — it's an essential investment in a better life.

A habit of seeing things in extremes, like all good or all bad, success or failure.

Hope is the belief that you can find both the will and the ways to reach your goals.

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.

Scapegoating is the act of unfairly blaming a specific person for the problems and failures of a group or individual, making them the target of unjust criticism.

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.

The scarcity principle is the psychological tendency to place higher value on something when it feels rare or about to disappear.

Type A Stress refers to the chronic stress that arises from Type A personality traits — intense competitiveness, impatience, and perfectionism. The constant pressure to beat the clock and accomplish more and more leaves both the mind and body exhausted.

The application of artificial intelligence to mental health care, including AI chatbots, emotion analysis, and digital therapeutics. This field is expanding rapidly, offering new ways to support psychological well-being.

A major psychologist known for operant conditioning.

A personality model that describes five broad personality traits.

How body weight, body image, and mental health can affect one another.