subconscious

n. a lay term that is widely used to denote the unconscious or preconscious mind as described by Sigmund Freud or the general idea of subliminal consciousness. It is also popularly associated with autosuggestion and hypnosis. Because of its imprecision, the term is now generally avoided by psychologists. See also coconsciousness. —subconscious adj.

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Psychology term of the day

December 22nd 2024

preparadigmatic science

a science at a primitive stage of development, before it has achieved a paradigm and established a consensus about the true nature of the subject matter and how to approach it. Psychology has been considered a preparadigmatic science by many theorists, in contrast to physics and chemistry (regarded as normal sciences). See also immature science; paradigm shift; scientific revolution. [proposed by U.S. philosopher of science Thomas Kuhn (1922–1996)]