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preconscious thinking

1. the pictorial, magical, fantasy thinking of children that precedes the development of logical thinking. [introduced in 1938 by Austrian psychoanalyst Otto Fenichel (1897–1946)]

2. in psychoanalytic theory, thinking that takes place at the level of the preconscious. Preconscious thinking has sometimes been cited to explain apparently unconscious, intuitive thought processes, as well as certain kinds of creative leaps and insights.

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Psychology term of the day

February 16th 2025

reasonable accommodations

reasonable accommodations

adjustments made within an employment or educational setting that allow an individual with a physical, cognitive, or psychiatric disability to perform essential functions. These adjustments might include installing ramps in an office cafeteria for wheelchair accessibility, altering the format of a test for a person with learning disabilities, or providing a sign language interpreter for a person with hearing loss. Provisions for reasonable accommodations must be made by employers and educators according to the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act and the 1973 Rehabilitation Act. See undue hardship.