psychic determinism

noun

1. the theory that all aspects of a person's psychological makeup arise from specific causes or forces, as previous experiences or instinctual drives, which may be conscious or unconscious.

psychic determinism

noun

1. psychol the assumption, made esp by Freud, that mental processes do not occur by chance but that a cause can always be found for them

Word History and Origins

Origin of psychic determinism¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

As I am addressing those who are primarily interested for the moment in criminology, I may do well to begin with the subject of psychic determinism.

From Project Gutenberg

Its proper understanding, however, no matter under what circumstances and to what degree it be manifested, will be possible only through a strict adherence to the theory of absolute psychic determinism.

From Project Gutenberg

Were this thesis on malingering to succeed in nothing else than in bringing home to our legal brethren this important truth of absolute psychic determinism, that a man is what he is and acts as he does because of everything that has gone before him—because of ontogenetic as well as phylogenetic instinctive motives—it will have fully established its raison d’être.

From Project Gutenberg