false cause

a type of informal fallacy or a persuasive technique in which a temporal sequence of events is assumed to be a causal sequence of events. Thus, because B follows A, A is considered the cause of B. For example, Because Smith became angry after being frustrated, Smith’s frustration caused Smith’s anger. See also causal ordering; reverse causality.

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Psychology term of the day

January 24th 2025

structured interactional group psychotherapy

a form of group therapy in which the therapist provides a structural matrix for the group’s interactions. This is usually achieved by selecting a different member of the group to be the focus of the interaction—the target patient—in each session. [developed by U.S. psychiatrists Harold I. Kaplan (1928–1998) and Benjamin J. Sadock (1933– )]