Ina critique write in Frontiers in Psychology , Emory University psychologist Scott O. Lilienfeld and his colleagues have pile up a helpful list of “ inaccurate , shoddy , misused , equivocal , and logically discombobulate words and phrases … ” to avoid , or avoid using wrong , with detailed explanations why .
We provide disciplinal selective information for students , instructors , and researcher regarding these term , which we direct for expository purposes into five class : inaccurate or misleading term , frequently misapply footing , equivocal terms , oxymorons , and pleonasms . For each term , we ( a ) explain why it is problematic , ( b ) delineate one or more examples of its abuse , and ( blow ) when apt , offer up recommendations for preferable terms . By being more judicious in their use of language , psychologist and shrink can foster clear thinking in their educatee and the field at large regarding genial phenomena .
Here , for good example , is the entry for “ Brainwashing ” :
Brainwashing . This term , which originated during the Korean War ( Hunter , 1951 ) but which is still invoked uncritically from time to sentence in the academic literature ( e.g. ,Ventegodt et al . , 2009;Kluft , 2011 ) , implies that powerful individuals wishing to persuade others can capitalize on a unequalled armamentarium of coercive process to change their long - term attitudes . Nevertheless , the mental attitude - change proficiency used by so - called “ brainwashers ” are no unlike than standard persuasive method acting identify by societal psychologist , such as boost commitment to end , manufacture source believability , forging an illusion of radical consensus , and vivid good word ( Zimbardo , 1997 ) . what is more , there are ample grounds to doubt whether “ brainwashing ” permanently alters beliefs ( Melton , 1999 ) . For deterrent example , during the Korean War , only a small minority of the 3500 American political prisoners subject to vivid indoctrination technique by Formosan capturer generate false confessions . Moreover , an even small number ( probably under 1 % ) displayed any sign of adherence to communistic ideologies following their return to the US , and even these were individuals who returned to Communist subcultures ( Spanos , 1996 ) .
Some choice examples ( see the original clause for the detailed explanations ):
“ A gene for … ”
“ Autism epidemic ”
“ Chemical imbalance ”
“ atomic number 15 = 0.000 ”
“ Acting out ”
“ Denial ”
“ Fetish ”
“ head - eubstance therapies ”
“ Personality character ”
“ Scientific proof ”
The good affair about this lean is that its independent end is not so much to patrol as it is to educate ( even if it does come across , at times , as prescriptivist ) . Not every word or phrase on this list should be forefend instantaneously . As the explanations that accompany them clarifies , many of these term can and should be used , but they should be used cautiously and deliberately .
Read the full listing atFrontiers in Psychology .
reach the author at[email protect ] . Photo Credit : Thomas Hawk|CC BY - NC 2.0 .
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