Westermarck effect

the proposal that people who grow up together in the same household do not find one another sexually attractive later in life. It is based on the observation that people who had extensive contact with one another as children rarely ever married, despite being available as mates. [Edward Westermarck (1862–1939), Finnish anthropologist]

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Psychology term of the day

March 16th 2025

state-dependent behavior

actions that are affected by one’s emotional state, such as saying something hurtful to another while angry.