cocaine

n. a drug, obtained from leaves of the coca shrub, that stimulates the central nervous system (see CNS stimulant), with the effects of reducing fatigue and increasing well-being, followed by a period of depression as the initial effects diminish. The drug acts by blocking the reuptake of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. The psychoactive properties of the coca plant were recognized by the Peruvian Incas before 4000 bce, and in the 1880s the possible therapeutic uses of cocaine were investigated. Sigmund Freud observed that the drug functioned as a topical anesthetic. See also crack; freebase.

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Psychology term of the day

February 23rd 2025

hedonism

1. in philosophy, the doctrine that pleasure is an intrinsic good and the proper goal of all human action. One of the fundamental questions of ethics has been whether pleasure can or should be equated with the good in this way.

2. in psychology, any theory that suggests that pleasure and the avoidance of pain are the only or the major motivating forces in human behavior. Hedonism is a foundational principle in psychoanalysis, in behaviorism, and even in theories that stress self-actualization and need fulfillment. To the extent that human beings are hedonistic, it is difficult to admit the possibility of genuine altruism. Also called hedonistic psychology. See eudemonism; hedonic psychology. —hedonistic adj.