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inferiority complex

a basic feeling of inadequacy and insecurity, deriving from actual or imagined physical or psychological deficiency, that may result in behavioral expression ranging from the withdrawal of immobilizing timidity to the overcompensation of excessive competition and aggression. Compare superiority complex. [introduced in 1907 by Alfred Adler]

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Psychology term of the day

March 28th 2024

Pacinian corpuscle

Pacinian corpuscle

a type of cutaneous receptor that is sensitive to contact and vibration. It consists of a nerve-fiber ending surrounded by concentric layers of connective tissue. Pacinian corpuscles are found in the fingers, the hairy skin, the tendons, and the abdominal membrane. Also called Pacinian body; Pacini’s corpuscle; Vater’s corpuscle. [Filippo Pacini (1812–1883), Italian anatomist]