Glossary C
Glossary C
Deutsch: Konversion / Español: conversión / Português: conversão / Français: conversion / Italiano: conversione
Conversion refers to the influence of a minority on a majority, based on convincing the majority that its views are correct.
In the context of psychology, conversion refers to the process whereby psychological distress is expressed as physical symptoms. This concept is central to the understanding of conversion disorder, previously known as hysteria, where emotional disturbances are converted into loss or change of bodily function.
Conversion hysteria refers to the viewpoint, originally advanced by Freud, that specific unconscious conflicts can produce physical disturbances symbolic of the repressed conflict ; no longer a dominant viewpoint in Health psychology.
Conversion reaction refers to a disorder in which a psychological disturbance takes a physical form, such as when arms or legs are paralyzed and there is no physiological explanation.