Summary: Do you know the difference between the terms “prejudice” and “discrimination?” Or how about “empathy” versus “sympathy?” Each of us use words in our everyday lives to communicate effectively. However, a recent paper that was published in Frontiers In Education revealed a list of psychological terms that are repeatedly assumed to be similar, if not identical, but they actually refer to very different concepts. For example, words like “sex” versus “gender” or “envy” versus “jealousy” are psychological terms that our guest argues are commonly confused. While some words used in the English language are interchangeable and flexible, others are not. Psychologists also argue that not only are the terms confused by new psychology students but they are frequently misused amongst advanced students, psychology instructors, and science journalists, which can interfere with the knowledge of other psychological ideas. However, whether you’re a psychology student or a member of the broader public, our guest argues we should all know the correct meaning behind such terms as they can also impair the public understanding of concepts we encounter on a daily basis. Our guest is the lead researcher of the paper that composed a list of the most inaccurate, misleading and misused terms in psychology and science in general. He helps us understand the accurate definition of terms that often mean completely different things, yet frequently get confused with each other.
