ego-defensive function of an attitude

the role an attitude can play in enhancing or maintaining the self-esteem of the person holding that attitude. For example, people may hold very positive attitudes toward their social group as a means of maintaining their positive self-regard. See also functional approach to attitudes.

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Psychology term of the day

September 10th 2024

modularity

n. a theory of the human mind in which the various components of cognition are characterized as independent modules, each with its own specific domain and particular properties. It was first proposed by U.S. philosopher Jerry Fodor (1935– ) in his book The Modularity of Mind (1983). A related notion had earlier been advanced by Noam Chomsky in his theory of the task specificity of language, which characterizes the human language faculty as a unique “mental organ” differing qualitatively from other aspects of cognition. More recently, evolutionary psychologists have shown interest in the idea that the various modules may be adaptive specializations. Compare cognitive grammar.