Category: P
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Psychomotor
Referring to combined physical and mental activity. Relating to the psychological basis of voluntary muscular movement. Involving psychological and physical activity. To mental and motor activities esp. in reference to disorders in which muscular activity is affected by brain disorder. Relating to muscular and mental activity. The term is applied to disorders in which muscular…
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Psychometry
The science of testing and measuring mental and psychological ability, efficiency potentials, and functioning, including psychopathological components. The measurement of psychological variables, such as intelligence, aptitude, behavior, and emotional reactions. Psychological functions are assessed through the employment of intelligence tests, personality evaluations, and tests targeting particular aptitudes like memory, logic, concentration, and response speed. The…
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Psychologist
A person who holds a degree in psychology from an accredited program. Providers of psychological services are licensed under applicable state law, whereas those psychologists who teach or do research are usually exempt from licensure requirements. A nonmedical specialty concerned with psychological testing, evaluation, and diagnosis of emotional problems. A person who specialises in the…
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Psychological testing
Assessments that measure characteristics, abilities, and skills related to mental functioning. Devices for assessing aspects of mental and emotional functioning. Psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health workers use psychological tests to learn information that may not emerge from interviewing or observing people and to compare them with others. The more than 500 tests in current…
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Psychological autopsy
Postmortem evaluation of the psychodynamics contributing to a person’s suicide. An analysis of a person’s suicide through an investigation of letters, emails, and interviews with friends and relatives for the purpose of determining, the reasons for the suicide. An attempt to determine what, if any, emotional or psychological factors caused or contributed to an individual’s…
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Psycholinguistics
The study of mental factors that affect communication and the comprehension of verbal information. The study of linguistics as it relates to human behavior.
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Psychoimmunology
The study of the connection between the brain and emotions and the immune system. A field of study focusing on how the stresses of life affect the immune system.
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Psychohistory
An approach to history that examines events within a psychological framework.
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Psychogenesis
Production or causation of a symptom or illness by mental or psychic factors as opposed to organic ones. The development from psychological origins as distinguished from somatic origins. The origin and development of mind; the formation of mental traits. The growth of mental traits.
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Psychoendocrinology
The study of the psychological effects of neuroendocrinological activity. For example, it is known that the release and inhibition of pituitary hormones are mediated in part by brain monoamines, disorders of which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of various psychiatric illnesses. The study of the relationship between psychological processes and endocrine function.