architectural determinism

the mistaken belief that the designed environment dictates behavior or directly causes certain behaviors to occur or not to occur. Design more typically facilitates or inhibits behavior, providing opportunities that influence the probability that certain behaviors will or will not occur. See also person–environment interaction.

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Psychology term of the day

February 20th 2025

dual representation

the ability to comprehend an object simultaneously as the object itself and as a representation of something else. For example, a photograph of a person can be represented both as the print itself and as the person it depicts. Also called dual encoding; dual orientation.