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psychological determinism

the general position that psychological phenomena, including behaviors, are fixed, resulting from physical and other factors outside the control of the person. See determinism; identity theory; physical 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.