brainwashing

n. a broad class of intense and often coercive tactics intended to produce profound changes in attitudes, beliefs, and emotions. Targets of such tactics have typically been prisoners of war and members of religious cults. See also psychological kidnapping.

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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.