Symbolic

n. the realm of symbols or signifiers: one of three aspects of the psychoanalytic field defined by French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan (1901–1981). The achievement of symbolization marks the beginning of ego differentiation and is associated with the infant’s entrance into the world of language, culture, law, and morality. The other two realms are the Imaginary and the Real. See also mirror phase; name-of-the-father.

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Psychology term of the day

November 27th 2024

weight regulation

a process, governed by a complex array of neural mechanisms and structures (including the hypothalamus), in which the brain seeks an optimum balance between an organism’s food intake and energy expenditure after a certain body weight is achieved. A number of other factors, such as environmental stimuli, may influence the process as well.