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physiological vs. psychological

physiological vs. psychological: What's the difference?

In medicine, the terms physiological and psychological are often used in contrast to each other. Physiological relates to the physical and chemical processes of the body, and may be used to describe physical diseases or disorders. Psychological relates to the processes of the mind, and may be used to describe mental illnesses.

physiological

[ fiz-ee-uh-loj-i-kuhl ]
adjective
  1. of or relating to physiology.
  2. consistent with the normal functioning of an organism.

psychological

[ sahy-kuh-loj-i-kuhl ]
adjective
  1. of or relating to psychology.
  2. pertaining to the mind or to mental phenomena as the subject matter of psychology.
  3. of, pertaining to, dealing with, or affecting the mind, especially as a function of awareness, feeling, or motivation: psychological play;psychological effect.