reality testing

noun

, Psychiatry.

1. the objective evaluation of situations, defective in certain psychoses, that enable one to distinguish between the external and the internal worlds and between the self and the nonself.

Word History and Origins

Origin of reality testing¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Trump's sense of reality testing is very fluid.

From Salon

To a large degree, they have lost the ability to engage in what psychologists describe as "reality testing."

From Salon

What about their ability to engage in reality testing?

From Salon

“In reality, testing reflected extremely low levels of PCBs in this school.”

From Reuters

Relatedly, there needs to be some form of reality testing.

From Salon