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cardiac neurosis

an anxiety reaction precipitated by a heart condition, the suspicion of having a heart condition, or the fear of developing coronary disease. In some cases, a cardiac neurosis develops when the patient detects a harmless heart murmur, palpitations, or a chest pain due to emotional stress. In other cases, it may be caused or aggravated by a physician’s examination (see iatrogenic). Cardiac anxiety is a common symptom of panic disorder; it may also be a focus in hypochondriasis.

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Psychology term of the day

May 9th 2024

psychonomic

psychonomic

adj. denoting an approach to psychology that emphasizes quantitative measurement, experimental control, and operational definitions, especially in the area of experimental, laboratory psychology. The word was coined to provide a name for the Psychonomic Society, which was created in 1959 by a number of experimental psychologists who were opposed to what they regarded as a swing in the American Psychological Association toward an emphasis on the mental health concerns of psychology. See experimental psychology.