life instinct

in psychoanalytic theory, the drive comprising the self-preservation instinct, which is aimed at individual survival, and the sexual instinct, which is aimed at the survival of the species. In the dual instinct theory of Sigmund Freud, the life instinct, or Eros, stands opposed to the death instinct, or Thanatos. Also called erotic instinct.

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Psychology term of the day

January 19th 2025

free field

free field

in acoustics, a sound field that has no reflective boundaries.