Psychology vocabulary is a compilation of psychological definitions originally written and published at Flourishing Life Society. In February 2023, my work was transferred to Psychology Fanatic. The original blog contained a substantial collection of health, wellness, and relationship articles written with the goal of assisting readers in their efforts to flourish. After obtaining my degree in psychology, I began researching the psychology of wellness. I discovered the research, theories, and vocabulary associated to be overwhelming. The intent of Psychology Fanatic is to provide a glossary of psychology definitions, terms, and concepts to assist lay readers and professionals to better understand foundational and historical psychological concepts.
Some of the original psychology definition database terms are still linked to Flourishing Life Society articles. New articles will be added directly to this site.
A
- Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)
- Activity Theory of Aging
- Adaptation
- Adaptive Survival Styles
- Affective Neuroscience
- Affective Realism
- Agreeableness Personality Trait
- Alexithymia
- Allostasis
- Allostatic Load
- Analytical Psychology
- Appraisal Theory of Emotion
- Attachment Injury
- Attachment Theory
- Autobiographical Memory
- Awe
B
- Basic Needs
- Behavior Activation
- Belongingness
- Big Five Personality Traits
- Biphasic Response
- Bobo Doll Studies
- Broaden and Build Theory
- Burnout
C
- Catastrophic Thinking
- Cluster ‘A’ Personality Disorders
- Codependency Definition
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Cognitive Dissonance
- Cognitive Heuristics
- Cognitive Load Theory
- Cognitive Reappraisal
- Cognitive Triad
- Coherence
- Compensatory Skills
- Confabulation
- Confirmation Bias
- Conscientiousness
- Continuity Theory of Aging
- Coping Mechanism
D
- Dark Triad Personalities
- Defense Mechanisms (Psychological Defenses)
- Degeneration Theory
- Dementia Praecox
- Depressive Personality Disorder
- Depressive Realism
- Detachment (Psychological)
- Developmental Tasks
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy
- Diathesis Stress Model
- Disengagement Theory
- Displacement (A defense mechanism)
E
- Ego Defense
- Ego Depletion
- Ego Ideal
- Ego Investment
- Emodiversity
- Emotion Differentiation
- Emotional Abuse
- Emotional Attunement
- Emotional Detachment
- Emotional Dysregulation
- Emotional Equilibrium
- Emotional Flooding
- Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Emotional Guidance System
- Emotional Intelligence
- Emotional Lability
- Emotional Styles
- Emotional Triggers
- Emotional Valence
- Emotional Validation
- Emotional Wounds
- Emotionally Reactive
- Engulfment
- Epigenetics
- Eudaimonia
- Executive Functions
- Explanatory Style
- Externalization
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy
F
- Feedback Loop Psychology
- Feeling Felt
- Flourishing
- Flow State
- Functional Systems Theory
- Fundamental Attribution Error
G
H
I
- Immature Defenses
- Inner Strength
- Internal Working Models
- Insecure Attachment
- Interoception
- Internal Guidance System
- Intimacy
- Invalidating Environment
- Ironic Process Theory
J
K
L
M
- Marshmallow Study
- Masculine Protest
- Masochistic Personality
- Mental Maps
- Mindfulness
- Mindset
- Mood Disorders
- Moods
- Moral Reconation Therapy
N
- Narrative Psychology
- Negative Affect
- Negative Attribution Style
- Negative Sentiment Override
- Negativistic Personality Disorder
- Neurosis
- Neuroticism
- Neuroplasticity
O
- Object Cathexis
- Object Relations Theory
- Observing Ego
- Openness Personality Trait
- Optimism
- Organic Mental Illness
- Overwhelm
P
- Pain Body
- Paraphrenia
- Paranoid Ideation
- Passive Aggressive
- Pathological Lying
- Perfectionism
- Person Centered Therapy
- Personal Constructs (Theory)
- Personality
- Personality Disorders
- Personalization
- Polyvictimization
- Post Traumatic Growth
- Primal World Beliefs
- Primary Needs
- Prediction Psychology
- Prisoner’s Dilemma
- Projection
- Pseudologia Fantastica
- Psychosis
Q
R
- Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
- Reactive Aggression
- Realistic Optimism
- Reciprocal Determinism
- Regression. A Defense Mechanism
- Regulatory Focus Theory
- Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria
- Relationship Anxiety
- Relative Deprivation
- Relativistic Thinking
- Repair Attempts
- Repressed Anger
- Rigid Thinking
- Role Theory
- Rumination
S
- Sadist
- Schizotypal Personality Disorder
- Schizoid Personality Disorder
- Secure Base
- Securely Attached
- Selective Information Processing
- Self Aspects
- Self-Efficacy
- Self-Esteem
- Self Complexity Theory
- Self Narrative
- Self Schema
- Self-System
- Sensory Overload
- Shattered Assumptions
- Skeptic
- Slippery Slope Fallacy
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Social Desirability Bias
- Social Learning Theory
- Social Phobia
- Splitting: A Defense Mechanism
- Stanford Prison Experiment
- Strange Situation
- State Trait Anger Theory
- Strength Model of Self Control
- Stress Response Theory
- Still Face Experiment
- Sublimation Defense Mechanism
- Sunk Costs Fallacy
- Superego
- Systems Theory
T
U
- Unconditional Love
- Unconditional Positive Regard
- Undoing Defense Mechanism
- Undoing Effect of Positive Emotions
- Unprocessed Trauma
V
W
- White Bear Principle
- Window of Tolerance
- Wise Mind
- Working Memory