psychogenesis

American  

[sahy-kuh-jen-uh-sis] / ˌsaɪ kəˈdʒɛn ə sɪs /

noun

1. genesis of the psyche.

2. Psychology. the origin of physical or psychological states, normal or abnormal, out of the interplay of conscious and unconscious psychological forces.

3. Pathology. the origin of symptoms as a result of emotional causes.

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psychogenesis British  

/ ˌsaɪkəʊˈdʒɛnɪsɪs, ˌsaɪkəʊdʒɪˈnɛtɪk /

noun

1. psychol the study of the origin and development of personality, human behaviour, and mental processes

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Other Word Forms

• psychogenetic adjective
• psychogenetically adverb

Etymology

Origin of psychogenesis

From New Latin, dating back to 1830–40; psycho-, -genesis

Example Sentences

Four sources have been propounded for the study of psychogenesis.

From The Silesian Horseherd - Questions of the Hour by Müller, F. Max (Friedrich Max)

In a recent work on the subject of psychogenesis he upholds his former views, and believes he has been able to separate his cases into three distinct groups.

From Studies in Forensic Psychiatry by Glueck, Bernard

Human psychogenesis takes place in the communal stage of his life.

From Evolution Of The Japanese, Social And Psychic by Gulick, Sidney Lewis

The author emphasizes the motor elements in mental evolution, and thus introduces into psychogenesis a point of view which is eminently characteristic of modern psychology….

From The Child and Childhood in Folk-Thought Studies of the Activities and Influences of the Child Among Primitive Peoples, Their Analogues and Survivals in the Civilization of To-Day by Chamberlain, Alexander F.

Once or twice he spoke of "psychogenesis" with an emphatic enunciation which seemed to invite respectful wonder.

From Mushrooms on the Moor by Boreham, Frank