mens rea

the malicious or blameworthy state of mind (Latin, “guilty mind”) that must be proved in addition to the actus reus to establish criminal responsibility and secure a conviction. It involves a conscious disregard for the law, which is presumed to be known by the defendant. For some crimes, the mens rea may be recklessness or negligence rather than a deliberate intention to bring about certain consequences. Also called criminal intent.

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Psychology term of the day

February 25th 2025

salivary reflex

a change in the secretion of the salivary glands caused by unconditioned or conditioned stimulation of their effector nerves. See conditioned response; unconditioned response.