Psychologists sometimes speak in a language only they can understand. Here are the meanings and definitions for a number of psychology terms used by professionals:

Androgyny: A blending of masculine and famine characteristics.

Cyclothymic: A term describing someone with a volatile temperament who fluctuates between mild depression and elation.

Ethnocentrism: The tendency to view the world and other people through the narrow prism of our own culture and its mores.

Hawthorne Effect: The principle that the mere fact that a subject is being studied changes their behavior and therefore influences the outcome.

Homophily: A term that refers to the human tendency to surround oneself with like-minded people and ideas.

Hypersomnia: An inability to stay awake despite what should be adequate sleep. Sufferers usually sleep 10+ hours a day consistently for at least 2 weeks.

Hyperphymic: Someone with an unusually upbeat and energetic mood. Usually talkative, this person had what might be described as a type A personality.

Hypothymic: A person who’s temperament is typically more sad or depressed, without necessarily suffering from depression.

Neophilia: A psychological term that refers to our need for novelty and new experiences.

Nomophobia: An acronym for ‘no-mobile-phone phobia,’ this term refers to addictive behaviors associated with cell phone use and the anxiety a person feels when separated from their phone.