metapsychology

metapsychology
1. A systematic attempt to discern and describe what lies beyond the empirical facts and laws of psychology, such as the relations between body and mind, or concerning the place of the mind in the universe. 2. In psychoanalysis, or psychoanalytic m., psychology concerning the fundamental assumptions of the freudian theory of the mind, which entail five points of view : 1) dynamic, concerning psychologic forces; 2) economic, concerning psychologic energy; 3) structural, concerning psychologic configurations; 4) genetic, concerning psychologic origins; 5) adaptive, concerning psychologic relations with the environment. [G. meta, beyond, transcending, + psychology]

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meta·psy·chol·o·gy .met-ə-sī-'käl-ə-jē n, pl -gies speculative psychology concerned with postulating the mind's structure (as the ego and id) and processes (as cathexis) which usu. cannot be demonstrated objectively
meta·psy·cho·log·i·cal -.sī-kə-'läj-i-kəl adj

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meta·psy·chol·o·gy (met″ə-si-kolґə-je) a term applied to various philosophical theories about mental functions and mental “structures” which are justifiable on logical grounds but not verifiable by experiment or observation; in psychoanalysis such theories concern the topography (id, ego, superego) and economics (quantities of psychic energy or excitation) of mental processes.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • Metapsychology — (Greek: meta, beyond, transcending , and ψυχολογία, psychology )[1] is the philosophical study of psychology. Metapsychology, a speculative psychology, is a systematic attempt to discern and describe what lies beyond the facts and laws of… …   Wikipedia

  • metapsychology — [met΄əsī käl′ə jē] n. speculation about the origin, structure, function, etc. of the mind and about the relation between the mental and the physical, regarded as supplemental to psychology metapsychological [met΄ə sī΄kə läj′i kəl] adj …   English World dictionary

  • metapsychology — noun Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary Date: 1868 speculative psychology concerned with postulating the structure (as the ego and id) and processes (as cathexis) of the mind which usually cannot be demonstrated objectively •… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • metapsychology — metapsychological /met euh suy keuh loj i keuhl/, adj. /met euh suy kol euh jee/, n. speculative thought dealing systematically with concepts extending beyond the limits of psychology as an empirical science. [1905 10; META + PSYCHOLOGY] * * * …   Universalium

  • metapsychology — noun a) The philosophical study of psychology and of the mind b) A set of principles governing Freudian psychology …   Wiktionary

  • metapsychology — study of nature of the mind Sciences and Studies …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • metapsychology — noun the study of mental processes beyond what can be studied experimentally. Derivatives metapsychological adjective …   English new terms dictionary

  • metapsychology — meta·psychology …   English syllables

  • metapsychology — met•a•psy•chol•o•gy [[t]ˌmɛt ə saɪˈkɒl ə dʒi[/t]] n. psl speculative thought dealing with concepts extending beyond the limits of psychology as an empirical science • Etymology: 1905–10 met a•psy cho•log′i•cal kəˈlɒdʒ ɪ kəl adj …   From formal English to slang

  • metapsychology — /ˌmɜtəsaɪˈkɒlədʒi/ (say .mertuhsuy koluhjee) noun the branch of psychology which deals with philosophical questions which cannot be answered by experimental means, as the relationship between mind and body …  

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