A blind area of the RETINA, usually in addition to the normal BLIND SPOT found in every eye.

In PSYCHOANALYSIS, resistance is the term that describes both the reluctance of material submerged by REPRESSION in the UNCONSCIOUS to surface into CONSCIOUSNESS and the reluctance of the ANALYSAND. or patient, to allow the ANALYST’S probing to uncover areas of unconscious conflict.

The attraction that a group has for each of its members that helps to bind it together.

The self, in HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY, is roughly the equivalent of the EGO in PSYCHOANALYTIC psychology. It refers to that part of the PERSONALITY which is CONSCIOUS of its IDENTITY overtime.

A technique for trying to improve interpersonal communication and the quality of relationships in small groups. The orientation of this technique is that of HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY and it is based on the methods and experience of GROUP THERAPY. Group leaders try to facilitate open and honest discussion of feelings within the group. The hope is that any new- found sensitivity to one’s dealings with other people will carry over to other areas of life.

See PARAPRAXIS.

Experience following the stimulation of a sense organ, like the eyes or ears, and a necessary prerequisite to PERCEPTION.

The process of evaluating one’s ATTITUDES and BEHAVIOUR by comparing them with those of other people. In SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY there is an idea that when people are uncertain of what to do (or think or feel) in a given situation they are more likely to take their cue from other people and conform to their behaviour.

A MENTAL SET to respond in a particular way to certain issues or questions, for example on a questionnaire.

The idea that people are a product of their personal situation and their social environment and construct their view of reality accordingly. There is therefore no universal human nature and no objective reality about human behaviour. It emphasises social rather than individual aspects of psychological concepts and QUALITATIVE rather than QUANTITATIVE data.