reality testing

American  

noun

Psychiatry.

1. the objective evaluation of situations, defective in certain psychoses, that enable one to distinguish between the external and the internal worlds and between the self and the nonself.

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Etymology

Origin of reality testing

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

“In reality, testing reflected extremely low levels of PCBs in this school.”

From Reuters

Area hospitals and health care facilities across the nation face the same reality - testing is limited, true infection rates are unknown, and most everybody who wants a test cannot get a test for the virus at this time.

From Washington Times

Unfortunately, there are millions of Americans who believe that Donald Trump is doing a good job with the coronavirus pandemic because they are not looking at any other source of news or reality testing.

From Salon

Often, the common sense of athletes, who live amid constant instant reality testing, puts the pontification of politicians, who can spin indefinitely, to shame.

From Washington Post

“Symptoms associated with severe mental illness, such as impaired reality testing, disorganised thought processes, impulsivity and poor planning and problem solving, can compromise one's ability to perceive risks and protect oneself and make them vulnerable to physical assault.”

From Salon