underdog

n. the rationalizations and self-justifications employed by an individual to allay the sense of guilt or shame arising from an inability to meet the demands of internal moral standards or other rules of conduct (the topdog). [first described by German-born U.S. psychiatrist Frederick (Fritz) S. Perls (1893–1970)]

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Psychology term of the day

May 9th 2024

dual memory theory

see dual-store model of memory.