moratorium

n. in Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, the experimental period of adolescence in which, during the task of discovering who one is as an individual separate from family of origin and as part of the broader social context, young people try out alternative roles before making permanent commitments to an identity. Adolescents who are unsuccessful at negotiating this stage risk confusion over their role in life. See identity versus identity confusion. See also identity status model.

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Psychology term of the day

February 25th 2025

price–quality relationship

the real or perceived relationship between the price and the quality of an item or experience. In general, consumers think that higher prices mean higher quality.