direct suggestion

1. a technique in supportive psychotherapy in which attempts are made to alleviate emotional distress and disturbance in an individual through reassurance, encouragement, and direct instructions.

2. a technique in hypnotherapy in which a client under hypnosis is directed to follow instructions of the therapist either in the session or in his or her daily life.

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Psychology term of the day

February 2nd 2025

premoral stage

1. in Jean Piaget’s theory of moral development, the stage at which young children (under the age of 5) are unaware of rules as cooperative agreements; that is, they are unable to distinguish right from wrong. Compare autonomous stage; heteronomous stage.

2. the stage that precedes the preconventional level in Kohlberg’s theory of moral development and corresponds to infancy (birth to roughly 18 months).