early memory

adult recollection of childhood events, which typically goes back only to the age of 3 or so, even though the capacity to learn is present at birth. The absence of earlier childhood memories, referred to as childhood amnesia, has been noted since the time of Sigmund Freud. Explanations include neural immaturity, absence of language or adult schemas to organize event memory, or different coding dimensions in infancy.

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Psychology term of the day

May 9th 2024

groupthink

n. a strong concurrence-seeking tendency that interferes with effective group decision making. Symptoms include apparent unanimity, illusions of invulnerability and moral correctness, biased perceptions of the outgroup, interpersonal pressure, self-censorship, and defective decision-making strategies. Causes are thought to include group cohesion and isolation, poor leadership, and the stress involved in making decisions. [identified by Irving L. Janis]