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fusion

n. the blending into a unified whole of two or more components or elements. This general meaning is applied in a variety of different psychological contexts. In perception, for example, it may denote a blending of sounds received by the two ears (binaural fusion) or of images falling on the two retinas (binocular fusion), whereas in psychoanalytic theory, it denotes instinctual fusion, the merging of different instincts, as in the union of sexual and aggressive drives in sadism. The term is also sometimes applied to a state in which the normal differentiation between the self and the environment seems to recede or disappear, so that the individual experiences a sense of oneness with other individuals or with nature. —fuse vb.

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Psychology term of the day

October 31st 2024

nail biting

nail biting

the compulsive habit of chewing on one’s fingernails, usually thought to be a means of releasing tension.