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bipolarity

n. a construct of mutual exclusion and, by implication, a strong negative correlation between opposite dimensions. It typically is applied to affect or mood (e.g., happiness vs. sadness; enjoyment vs. irritation), but it also may be used to describe individual differences (e.g., introversion vs. extraversion). In contrast, the concept of unidimensionality is characterized by variation of a single attribute, such as a greater or lesser degree of pleasure.

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Psychology term of the day

December 26th 2024

false self

false self

in the object relations theory of British psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott (1896–1971), the self that develops as a defense against impingements and in adaptation to the environment. This contrasts with the true self, which develops in an environment that adapts to the infant and allows him or her to discover and express true impulses.