guiding fiction

a personal principle that serves as a guideline by which individuals can understand and evaluate their experiences and determine their lifestyle. In individuals considered to be in good or reasonable mental health, the guiding fiction is assumed to be realistic and adaptive. In those who are not, it is assumed to be unrealistic and nonadaptive. [term originally used by Alfred Adler]

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Psychology term of the day

May 8th 2024

divergent thinking

creative thinking in which an individual solves a problem or reaches a decision using strategies that deviate from commonly used or previously taught strategies. This term is often used synonymously with lateral thinking. Compare convergent thinking. [defined in 1967 by Joy Paul Guilford]