authority

n. the capacity to influence others. Formal authority enables an individual to exert influence as a result of either high, legally recognized office (legitimate authority) or high rank in a long-established but not legally codified hierarchy (traditional authority). Informal authority is based on the individual having either attributes that facilitate the achievement of a group’s goals (rational or expert authority) or an attractive and authoritative personality serving to enhance his or her credibility (charismatic authority).

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Psychology term of the day

March 16th 2025

adultomorphism

1. the attribution of adult traits or motives to children. Compare pedomorphism.

2. more specifically, the tendency to reconstruct developmental phases by extrapolating from adult psychopathology. —adultomorphic adj.