avoidance

n. the practice or an instance of keeping away from particular situations, environments, individuals, or things because of either (a) the anticipated negative consequence of such an encounter or (b) anxious or painful feelings associated with them. Psychology brings several theoretical perspectives to the study of avoidance: its use as a means of coping; its use as a response to fear or shame; its existence as a personality style or predisposition; and its existence as a component in anxiety disorders. See approach–avoidance conflict.

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Psychology term of the day

November 17th 2024

REM sleep

rapid-eye-movement sleep: the stage of sleep, formerly called desynchronized sleep, in which most dreaming tends to occur during which electroencephalograms show activity that resembles wakefulness (hence, it is also known as paradoxical sleep) except for inhibition of most skeletal and cranial muscles. This stage has two phases—tonic and phasic—and it is largely during the phasic period that muscle twitches and bursts of rapid eye movements occur. REM sleep accounts for one quarter to one fifth of total sleep time. Compare NREM sleep.