Basic Psychology Terms and Their Meanings

By Jennifer Gunner, M.Ed. Education , Senior Writer

Updated May 16, 2022

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The field of psychology can be complex. But understanding basic psychology terms and their meanings is a good first step to understanding the study of the mind. Keep reading to learn all about psychology vocabulary, including psychological conditions and disorders.

Basic Psychology Terms

If you’re doing a basic review of psychological terms, you may see some words pop up in your studies. These terms are common to psychologists and therapists in all fields. Basic psychology terms include:

anxiety – worry or fear that is not proportional to reality
attachment theory – Henry Harlow’s theory of the four attachment styles (secure, avoidant, anxious, and disorganized)
attitude – a person’s mindset that changes in different situations
bias – feeling prejudice for or against something
Big Five – the five main personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness)
catharsis – relief that occurs unconscious thoughts become conscious
cognition – mental activity (e.g., understanding, creativity, problem-solving)
consciousness – one’s awareness of the world around them
construct – a method of thinking or theory
coping mechanism – tool to manage and/or relieve stress
defense mechanism – tool to defend oneself against emotional trauma or stress
delusions – beliefs that are held even when proven wrong
ego – part of Freud’s model of the psyche that balances the conflict between the moral conscience (superego) and primal instincts (id)
emotional intelligence – one’s ability to regulate, process, and express emotions
extrovert – a person who gains energy from being around other people
hierarchy of needs – Maslow’s theory that people’s motivations come from four levels of needs (physiological, safety, love and belonging, and self-esteem) that lead to self-actualization
id – the primal, instinctual part of Freud’s model of the human psyche
intelligence quotient (IQ) – score that measures a person’s cognitive abilities
introvert – a person who feels energized after time alone
long term memory – memory system that stores information for a long period
mindfulness – ability to use all five senses to focus on the present moment
nature vs. nurture – debate about whether one’s genes (nature) are more or less influential than they way they were raised (nurture)
paradox – a contradictory statement
pathology – scientific study of disease and/or behavior
personality – one’s standard pattern of thinking, feeling, and behaving
projection – defense mechanism that applies one’s own negative behavior to others
schema – mental model that includes prior knowledge and expectations
self-actualization – the highest need in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs; the need to realize one’s full potential
short-term memory – memory system that only stores information for a short amount of time
self-efficacy – one’s knowledge and confidence that they can meet challenges
stress – the negative effect of challenging circumstances on one’s mental and emotional wellbeing
superego – part of Freud’s model of the psyche that handles moral decisions; also known as the conscience

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Terms for Psychological Conditions or Disorders

When a person’s behavior or experience differs from the norm, they’re often labeled with various disorders. But it’s important to know exactly what these disorders entail and how they are diagnosed. Some common terms for psychological disorders or conditions that you may hear are:

addiction – psychological and physiological dependence on a substance or behavior
antisocial personality disorder – personality disorder marked by a pattern of behaviors that are not socially acceptable
anorexia nervosa – eating disorder characterized by the need to restrict one’s eating in order to control one’s weight
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – disorder marked by one’s inability to focus, sit still, or control impulsive behavior
bipolar disorders – mood disorders that fluctuate between depressive and manic episodes
borderline personality disorder – personality disorder in which a person exhibits impulsive, erratic behavior and unstable relationships
bulimia nervosa – eating disorder marked by a person’s compulsion to binge and purge food in an effort to control their weight
cognitive dissonance – state of anxiety that occurs when a person encounters information that contradicts their beliefs
dementia – condition in which one experiences significant cognitive decline
depression – mood disorder marked by lack of motivation, energy, and joy
dissociative disorders – disorders in which a person protects themselves from emotional trauma by detaching from reality for short or long periods of time
eating disorders – disorders in which one attempts to control their environment by controlling their eating habits
generalized anxiety disorder – pattern of persistent worry about typical events
histrionic personality disorder – personality disorder marked by one’s desire for attention and propensity for high emotions
hypochondriasis – disorder in which one believes they have a serious illness or disease
insanity – legal term that indicates a person’s inability to take responsibility for their actions
mental illness – psychological condition that makes it difficult to function
mood disorders – disorders in which one experiences rapid, volatile mood swings
Munchausen syndrome – disorder in a person seeks attention by fabricating an illness (known as Munchausen by proxy in the case of a caregiver fabricating illness in a child or patient)
narcissistic personality disorder – disorder in which a person’s sense of extreme importance leads to a lack of empathy
obsessive-compulsive disorder – anxiety disorder characterized by an obsessive and/or compulsive need to control one’s environment
panic disorder – the experience of constant and unexpected panic attacks
personality disorders – patterns of behavior and experience that are not typical to one’s primary culture or environment
phobia – anxiety disorder that is characterized by an extreme, irrational fear
post–traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – condition in which an environmental trigger causes a person to re-experience the stress or trauma of a traumatic event
psychosis – perception that is extremely distorted and divergent from reality
psychosomatic – a physical illness brought on by one’s belief that they are ill
schizoid personality disorder – personality disorder that inhibits a person’s social skills and emotional processing
schizophrenia – disorder in which one experiences an alternate reality, which may include hallucinations, delusions, and erratic behavior
substance abuse – pattern of drug use that adversely affects one’s life

Psychology in Our World

No matter what branch of psychology you’re studying, it’s good to know what basic terms mean. You can learn a lot about social norms and expectations by taking a close look at acceptable behavior models. Check out these examples of cognitive psychology that include everyday instances and areas of application.

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Articles, books and commentary by Joel Snell

BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL TERMS

Basic Psychology Terms and Their Meanings

Basic Psychology Terms

Terms for Psychological Conditions or Disorders

Psychology in Our World