parataxic distortion

noun Psychiatry.

a distortion in perception, especially of interpersonal relationships, based on a tendency to perceive others in accordance with a pattern determined by previous experiences.

Origin of parataxic distortion

First recorded in 1960–65

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

parataxic distortion in Medicine

parataxic distortion

[păr′ə-tăk′sĭk]

n.

An attitude toward a person based on a distorted evaluation, usually due to identifying that person with emotionally significant individuals from the past.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.