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concept hierarchy

a collection of objects, events, or other items with common properties arranged in a multilevel structure. Concepts on the higher levels have broad meanings, whereas those at lower levels are more specific. For example, a concept hierarchy of anxiety disorders would place that term on top, with phobias lower, and specific types of phobia (e.g., claustrophobia) on the bottom.

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Psychology term of the day

May 10th 2024

self-consistency perspective

self-consistency perspective

a variation of cognitive dissonance theory in which cognitive dissonance is considered particularly likely to occur when an inconsistency involves some aspect of the self. This perspective differs from self-affirmation theory in that dissonance can be reduced only by resolving the specific inconsistency that gave rise to the discomfort; it does not allow for the possibility that dissonance can be reduced by affirming some other aspect of the self. [originally proposed by U.S. psychologist Elliot Aronson (1932–  )]