nomadism

1. a pathological tendency to wander from place to place and repeatedly change one’s residence and occupation, often giving rise to instability and social maladjustment. In milder form, this tendency may be an attempt to escape from a distressing situation or from responsibility, but in extreme form, it may be associated with brain damage, epilepsy, intellectual disability, or psychosis. See also dromomania; poriomania.

2. the lifestyle of a group of people with no fixed residence, characterized by frequent movement from place to place, often in search of resources or in accordance with seasonal changes.

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Psychology term of the day

January 30th 2025

class theory

1. the notion that conflict between social and economic classes is a fundamental determining force in human affairs, affecting not only systems of government and social organization but also individual psychology. It is held that one’s perceptions, goals, and expectations, and even one’s conceptions of psychological health and illness, are heavily influenced by the class of which one is a member. Most modern manifestations of class theory trace their origins to Karl Marx, although the work of the critical theorists of the Frankfurt school (1930s onward) has also been influential. See Marxism.

2. the branch of set theory that is concerned with the properties of classes. It is particularly interested in defining the distinction between classes and sets that are not classes.