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physical determinism

the type of determinism presumed to operate among physical objects in the natural world. In psychology, physical determinism is the assumption that psychological events and behaviors have physical causes and can be described in terms of models and theories borrowed from the physical sciences. See hard determinism; psychological determinism. See also statistical determinism.

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Psychology term of the day

January 19th 2025

novelty seeking

novelty seeking

1. a personality trait characterized by a strong interest in having new experiences; it is often associated with risk-taking behavior, and hence the term may be used synonymously with sensation seeking. It is also increasingly the preferred term for neophilia.

2. see Cloninger’s psychobiological model of personality; Temperament and Character Inventory.