Psychology A-Level
Catharsis
What Catharsis means in Psychology A-Level, as defined for Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Catharsis
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
A psychodynamic concept proposed by Freud involving the release of pent-up emotional tension or aggression through safe outlets.
The process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions (like aggression).
Topics that use Catharsis
- Topic 1: Social psychology (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
- Topic 3: Biological psychology (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
Related terms
- Reductionism
- Synaptic Transmission
- Concordance Rate
- Correlation
- Neurotransmitter
- Pre-frontal Cortex
- Prefrontal Cortex
- Spearman's Rho
Using Catharsis in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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