hormic psychology

a school of psychology originating in the 1920s that emphasizes goal seeking, striving, and foresight, with instincts serving as the primary motivation for behavior. It is particularly concerned with explaining social psychological phenomena in terms of instinctive behavior. See also purposive psychology; sociobiology; teleology. [introduced by William McDougall]

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Psychology term of the day

October 18th 2024

social imperception disorder

a condition characterized by a lack of awareness of common social interaction processes and interpersonal behaviors and by difficulty in recognizing and understanding other people’s feelings and emotions.