D

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DYNAMIC TRAIT

A personality trait that looks at motivation and putting something into action.

DYSFLUENCY

A disturbance in the usual flow and patterns of speech. See stuttering.

DYSMORPHISM

An abnormality in the shape or structure of a body part.

DYSPHORIA NERVOSA

Condition of convulsive or spasmodic muscle contractions.

DYSTOCIA

Abnormal labour or childbirth.

DECISION THEORY

Theories in social, behavioural and quantitative sciences.

DECONSTRUCTION

Critical analysis. Mainly of literary text where there can be no reference for language and no grounding for truth claims.

DEEP SLEEP

A stage of the sleep cycle where arousal thresholds are high. See also wave sleep.

DEFENSIBLE SPACE

The set of guidelines used to design and plan settings to reduce crime. See territoriality.

DEFUSION

Psychoanalytic theory. Separating instincts that normally operate together. Compare fusion.

DEINDIVIDUATION

An experiential state with a loss of awareness, changed perceptions and atypical behaviour.

DELAYED FEEDBACK

A delay in feedback from the senses that can guide or monitor motor movements.

DELIRIOUS STATE

A clinical state showing features of delirium often from taking drugs, withdrawal from alcohol, hypoxia, head trauma.

DELUSION OF REFERENCE

A false conviction that actions and eventshave a relation to yourself. See idea of reference.

DEMEROL

Trade name for meperidine

DEMYELINATION

Losing the myelin sheath that surronds nerves.

DENSITY-INTENSITY HYPOTHESIS

The explanation of psychological reactions to overcrowding where unpleasant situations are worse and pleasant situations are better.

DEPENDENCY NEEDS

Where personal needs must be satisfie by others such as love, shelter, food, warmth. See co-dependency- morbid dependency.

DEPRESSION STAGE

The fourth of the five stages of dying.

DEPTH PSYCHOLOGY

The approach that focuses on our unconscious mental processes, personality, cfreativity, attitudes and lifestyle.