voluntary

adj. describing activity, movement, behavior, or other processes produced by choice or intention and under cortical control, in contrast to automatic movements (e.g., reflexes) or action that is not intended (see ideomotor activity). Compare involuntary.

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Psychology term of the day

March 16th 2025

symptom specificity

a hypothesis stating that people with psychosomatic disorders display abnormal responses to stress in particular physiological systems. According to this hypothesis, a person’s complaints will center around a particular organ (e.g., the heart) and set of related symptoms (e.g., cardiovascular symptoms) rather than involving a variety of complaints about different organs or systems.