pop psych

American  

noun

1. psychological or pseudopsychological counseling, interpretations, concepts, terminology, etc., often simplistic or superficial, popularized by certain personalities, magazine articles, television shows, advice columns, or the like, that influence the general public.

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Other Word Forms

• pop psychologist
  noun
• pop-psych
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of pop psych

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

How a concept created and coined by Carl Jung became the latest pop psych buzzword for self-discovery on social media.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 29, 2024

"Unfortunately, much of the popular therapeutic view and pop psych mentality has functioned," says Schlessinger, "to keep people in self-pitying, victim mode mentality, robbing them of optimism, confidence, hope, growth and change."

From Time Magazine Archive