Behavioral Psychology Terminology

noun a state or quality of being childlike or immature

• The childishness displayed by the CEO during the meeting was unprofessional.
• Stop with the childishness and act like an adult for once.
• His constant childishness is really starting to annoy me.
• The childishness of their behavior was like a dark cloud hanging over the group.

verb action word that expresses an occurrence or state of being, in this case, 'conditioned' is the past tense of the verb 'condition', which means to train or influence someone or something

adjective describing word that modifies a noun or pronoun, in this case, 'conditioned' describes the state of something being influenced or trained

• The experiment showed that the rats were conditioned to press a lever for a food reward.
• I've been conditioned to always check my phone as soon as I wake up.
• She's so conditioned to always get her way, it's annoying.
• Growing up in a strict household conditioned him to always follow the rules.

noun a result or effect of an action or condition; outcome

verb not applicable

adjective not applicable

adverb not applicable

pronoun not applicable

preposition not applicable

conjunction not applicable

interjection not applicable

article not applicable

• The consequence of not following the company's policies could result in termination.
• If you don't study for the test, the consequence will be a low grade.
• Ditching class has consequences, dude.
• Her decision to quit her job had far-reaching consequences on her career.

verb to waste time or move slowly

• Please do not dawdle on your way to the meeting, we need to start promptly.
• Stop dawdling and hurry up, we're going to be late!
• Quit dawdling around and get your act together.
• Time waits for no one, so don't dawdle in making important decisions.

noun a feeling or expression of disapproval; censure or condemnation

• The committee expressed their disapproval of the new policy proposal.
• My parents showed their disapproval when they saw my messy room.
• I could tell by the look on her face that she was throwing some major shade of disapproval.
• The dark clouds looming overhead seemed to cast a shadow of disapproval over the town.

noun actions or activities that someone does

verb None

adjective None

adverb None

pronoun None

preposition None

conjunction None

interjection None

article None

• The committee will be discussing the doings of the finance department in the next meeting.
• I heard about the doings of our neighbors from the gossip in town.
• I don't want to get involved in their shady doings.
• The artist's latest exhibit explores the inner doings of the human mind.

noun a feeling of self-consciousness, shame, or awkwardness

adjective embarrassing

• The speaker felt a deep sense of embarrassment when he realized he had mispronounced a key word during the presentation.
• She turned bright red with embarrassment when she tripped and spilled her drink at the party.
• I was so embarrassed when I accidentally sent that text to the wrong person, it was cringeworthy.
• The company's scandal caused a wave of embarrassment among its employees and shareholders.

noun a person who takes advantage of others' generosity without giving anything in return

• The company had to deal with a freeloader who was taking advantage of the lunchroom without contributing.
• I can't believe that freeloader always asks to borrow money but never pays it back.
• That freeloader is always mooching off of everyone else.
• Her negative attitude made her feel like a freeloader in the group project.

noun A word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'far' can be considered a noun as it represents a distance.

verb A word that expresses an action or state of being. In this case, 'go' is a verb indicating movement or action.

adjective A word that describes or modifies a noun. There are no adjectives applicable to 'go too far'.

adverb A word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or other adverb. In this case, 'too' is an adverb modifying the verb 'go', indicating an excessive or unnecessary amount.

• It is important to set boundaries so that disagreements do not go too far.
• I think you're starting to go too far with your jokes.
• Dude, you're totally going too far with that prank.
• Her ambition knows no bounds and sometimes it can go too far.

adjective describing someone or something that grabs or grasps eagerly or greedily

• The grabby behavior of the customer was not tolerated by the store staff.
• She's so grabby, always trying to take things without asking.
• He's such a grabby dude, always trying to get free stuff.
• The politician's grabby attitude towards power was evident in his ruthless tactics.

noun a person who copies the behavior or actions of another

adjective relating to or characteristic of an imitator

• The artist accused the imitator of copying his work without permission.
• I can't believe that imitator is trying to pass off my jokes as his own!
• That imitator is such a copycat, always stealing other people's ideas.
• In the world of fashion, there are always imitators trying to replicate the latest trends.

adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb by providing information on how an action is performed

• She made the decision impulsively without considering the consequences.
• He just impulsively bought a new car without thinking it through.
• I impulsively decided to ditch class and go to the beach instead.
• The artist impulsively splashed paint on the canvas, creating a masterpiece.

noun the quality of being unsuitable or improper

adjective inappropriate

• The supervisor addressed the employee's inappropriateness in the workplace.
• I can't believe the inappropriateness of his joke during the meeting.
• That was just straight up inappropriateness, dude.
• The inappropriateness of her actions cast a dark shadow over the event.

noun a person who is incorrigible

adjective incapable of being corrected or reformed

• Despite numerous interventions, the student remained incorrigible in his behavior.
• No matter what we say, he's just an incorrigible troublemaker.
• That guy is totally incorrigible, he never listens to anyone.
• Her love for him was incorrigible, no matter how much he hurt her.

verb to annoy or provoke someone to the point of anger or frustration

• The constant noise from the construction site can irritate the residents in the area.
• Her chewing loudly with her mouth open really irritates me.
• Stop being so loud, you're starting to irritate me.
• His condescending tone never fails to irritate me like nails on a chalkboard.

noun a physical tossing or jerking of the body

• The defendant's jactitation of false claims only served to further damage their credibility in court.
• Stop with the jactitation already, no one believes your exaggerated stories.
• Her jactitation about her new job was so over the top, it was hard to take her seriously.
• The politician's jactitation of his accomplishments was like a desperate attempt to gain approval from the public.

verb to prevent or stop something from happening

preposition used to indicate the source or starting point of an action or movement

• It is important to keep from making hasty decisions in business.
• I try to keep from eating junk food, but it's hard sometimes.
• I gotta keep from getting caught sneaking out of the house.
• She couldn't keep from laughing at his silly jokes.

noun a person who acts as though they know everything and is often annoyingly boastful about it

• The professor was often perceived as a know-it-all due to his extensive knowledge in the subject.
• My coworker is such a know-it-all, always correcting everyone during meetings.
• Don't be such a know-it-all, no one likes a show-off.
• She acted like a know-it-all when it came to fashion, always giving unsolicited advice to others.

adjective causing or showing a fondness for causing trouble in a playful way

• The mischievous child was always getting into trouble at school.
• My cat has a mischievous side and loves to knock things off shelves.
• I can't believe you pulled that mischievous prank on your teacher!
• His mischievous smile hinted at a playful secret he was keeping.

verb to annoy or irritate persistently

adjective annoyed or irritated persistently

• The customer pestered the sales representative with multiple phone calls.
• Stop pestering me with your constant questions!
• My little brother always pesters me to play video games with him.
• Negative thoughts pestered her mind all day long.

noun a natural inclination or tendency to behave in a particular way

• Her propensity for detail-oriented work made her the top candidate for the job.
• I've noticed your propensity for sleeping in late on weekends.
• His propensity for drama always makes things more interesting.
• The artist's propensity for using bold colors in his paintings sets him apart from others.

noun a stubborn refusal to obey rules or authority

adjective recalcitrant (having an obstinately uncooperative attitude towards authority or discipline)

• The employee's recalcitrance towards following company policies led to disciplinary action.
• His recalcitrance to do his chores is getting on my nerves.
• Stop being so recalcitrant and just do what you're supposed to!
• The recalcitrance of the old tree to bend in the wind symbolized strength and resilience.

noun a sudden return to a previous state or condition

verb to go back or revert to a previous state or condition

• After making progress in her recovery, she felt herself starting to slip back into old habits.
• I thought I was over my ex, but sometimes I slip back and start missing them.
• I was doing well with my diet, but then I slipped back and ate a whole pizza.
• As he tried to move forward in his career, he couldn't help but feel like he was slipping back into his old job.

adverb in a spasmodic manner; characterized by spasms or sudden bursts of activity

• The patient's muscles were contracting spasmodically during the seizure.
• She laughed spasmodically at the comedian's jokes.
• He twitched spasmodically when he heard the loud noise.
• The old car's engine sputtered spasmodically before finally starting.

noun a person or thing that reveals information or gives evidence of something

adjective revealing, indicating, or betraying something

• The telltale signs of climate change are becoming more evident with each passing year.
• She knew he was lying by the telltale twitch in his eye.
• The telltale smell of cigarette smoke lingered in the room.
• The telltale heart in Edgar Allan Poe's famous story symbolizes the guilt of the narrator.

verb to have a tendency or inclination towards something

• Studies have shown that children tend toward imitating the behaviors of their parents.
• I've noticed that my friends tend toward choosing pizza whenever we go out to eat.
• People in this neighborhood tend toward hanging out at the park on weekends.
• His writing style tends toward the poetic, with lots of vivid descriptions and emotional language.

adjective describing someone who lacks consideration or thoughtfulness in their actions

• His unthoughtful actions caused a lot of inconvenience for the team.
• She can be so unthoughtful sometimes, forgetting important details.
• Stop being so unthoughtful, it's really annoying.
• The unthoughtful decision led to a chain of unfortunate events.

noun a person who complains or expresses dissatisfaction in a persistent, irritating way

• The manager reprimanded the employee for being a constant whiner about minor issues.
• Stop being such a whiner and just deal with it.
• She's always such a whiner, complaining about everything.
• The whiner in the group always rains on our parade with their negativity.

noun a noun is a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'counterproductiveness' is a noun that represents the quality of being counterproductive or hindering progress.

• The constant arguing between team members only adds to the counterproductiveness of the project.
• Skipping meetings is just going to make things more counterproductive in the long run.
• Being lazy at work is totally counterproductive to getting anything done.
• His stubbornness was like a wall of counterproductiveness blocking any progress in the negotiation.

noun the state of being concerned or attentive towards someone or something

• Her solicitousness towards the guests was evident in the way she made sure everyone had everything they needed.
• I appreciate your solicitousness in checking up on me after my surgery.
• His solicitousness can sometimes come off as a bit much, like he's trying too hard.
• The solicitousness of the old tree branches reaching out for sunlight was a beautiful sight in the forest.

noun a word used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things

adjective a word used to describe or modify a noun

• The judge believed that the criminal needed a short sharp shock to deter them from committing more crimes.
• I think a short sharp shock is what it will take for him to finally get his act together.
• That kid needs a short sharp shock to set him straight.
• Sometimes life gives you a short sharp shock to wake you up and make you realize what's important.

noun the action of attacking and harassing someone in a large group

verb to attack or harass someone in a large group

• The company has strict policies in place to prevent mobbing in the workplace.
• I heard there was some mobbing going on in the office, we should report it.
• Don't be a part of the mobbing, it's not cool.
• The mobbing of negative thoughts in his mind was overwhelming.

noun a person who is under the influence of alcohol and makes a phone call

verb to make a phone call while under the influence of alcohol

• It is not advisable to engage in drunk dialing as it can lead to miscommunication.
• I can't believe I drunk dialed my ex last night, what a mistake.
• I was so wasted last night that I ended up drunk dialing my crush.
• Sometimes our emotions can be like a drunk dial, making us reach out when we shouldn't.

noun a type of behavior that is harmful or disruptive to society or others

adjective describing behavior that is harmful or disruptive to society or others

• The city council is implementing measures to address the issue of antisocial behaviour in public spaces.
• The neighbors are complaining about the antisocial behaviour of some teenagers in the area.
• Dude, that guy's antisocial behaviour is really getting on my nerves.
• The neglect of community values can be seen as a form of antisocial behaviour.

noun a word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

adjective a word naming an attribute of a noun

adverb a word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

conjunction a word used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause

interjection an abrupt remark, made especially as an aside or interruption

article a word that is used with a noun to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun

• It is believed by some that sparing the rod will spoil the child, according to the old proverb.
• You know what they say, spare the rod and spoil the child!
• Don't be afraid to lay down the law with your kids, spare the rod and spoil the child.
• In parenting, sometimes tough love is necessary - spare the rod and spoil the child.

noun a tendency to behave in an unpredictable or capricious manner

• The waywardness of the child was a constant source of concern for the teachers.
• I can't believe the waywardness of my cat, always getting into trouble.
• Her waywardness was off the charts, she just couldn't stay out of trouble.
• The waywardness of the river led to its meandering path through the valley.

adverb in a submissive or compliant manner

• She acquiescently agreed to the terms of the contract.
• He acquiescently went along with the group's decision.
• She just acquiescently went with the flow.
• The old tree acquiescently bent to the force of the wind.

noun a behavior that is a manifestation of unresolved emotional conflicts

verb to express one's emotions or impulses through behavior rather than words

• The child's behavior in class is concerning as he has been acting out frequently.
• I think she's just acting out because she's feeling ignored.
• He's always acting out for attention, it's so annoying.
• The storm was acting out with strong winds and heavy rain.

verb to behave or function in a disruptive or unruly manner

• The computer system is acting up and causing delays in the project.
• My phone keeps acting up and freezing on me.
• I think my car is acting up again, it keeps making weird noises.
• Her emotions were acting up, causing her to lash out unexpectedly.

adjective describing something related to action or activity

• The company implemented actional strategies to improve efficiency.
• Let's take some actional steps to get this project done on time.
• We need to get actional and hustle to meet the deadline.
• His leadership style is very actional, always taking charge and making things happen.

verb A verb is a word that expresses an action or a state of being. In this case, 'acts out' is a verb phrase that indicates the action of performing or portraying something in a dramatic or exaggerated manner.

• The child often acts out in class, disrupting the learning environment for others.
• Whenever he doesn't get his way, he acts out and throws a tantrum.
• She acts out whenever she's feeling stressed and overwhelmed.
• His painting acts out his innermost emotions and struggles.

noun the quality or state of adhering; steady devotion, support, allegiance, or attachment

• The company's strict adherency to safety regulations ensured a secure working environment for all employees.
• Her adherency to the schedule was impressive, she never missed a deadline.
• I'm all about that adherency life, always sticking to the rules.
• The artist's adherency to traditional techniques gave her paintings a timeless quality.