bicameralism

n. a highly controversial theory of primitive human mentality (posited to predate the development of consciousness) in which cognitive functions are divided between one hemisphere of the brain that “speaks” or “orders,” specifically through auditory hallucination, and another hemisphere that “listens” or “obeys.” The concept, proposed by U.S. psychologist Julian Jaynes (1920–1997) in his 1976 book The Origins of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind, has not received significant attention in neuropsychological research, although analogies have been drawn to neurological models describing the differing functions of the right and left hemispheres of the brain. The evolutionary aspect of the hypothesis contradicts current evidence about the origins of brain structures for consciousness and language.

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Psychology term of the day

February 25th 2025

perspective

1. the ability to view objects, events, and ideas in realistic proportions and relationships.

2. the ability to interpret relative position, size, and distance of objects in a plane surface as if they were three-dimensional.

3. the capacity of an individual to take into account and potentially understand the perceptions, attitudes, or behaviors of himself or herself and of other individuals.

4. a particular way of looking at events or situations: a stance or philosophical position.