Glossary / Lexicon

Noncommon effects refer to kind of effects produced by a particular course of action that could not be produced by alternative courses of action.

Noncommon effects is a concept in psychology that refers to the unique effects that a specific factor or variable has on an outcome or behavior, as opposed to the effects that are shared with other factors or variables. In other words, noncommon effects are the distinctive contributions of a specific variable to an outcome, beyond the effects that can be explained by other variables.

For example, in a study of the effects of two different types of therapy on depression, noncommon effects would refer to the unique ways in which each type of therapy affects depression, beyond the shared effects that both therapies may have (e.g., providing social support, teaching coping skills).

Another example of noncommon effects can be seen in the study of personality traits. Each individual possesses a unique combination of personality traits, and these traits may have noncommon effects on their behavior and outcomes. For instance, one person may be particularly high in openness to experience, which may lead them to seek out novel experiences and pursue creative endeavors.

Noncommon effects are important to consider in research and clinical practice because they allow for a more nuanced understanding of the factors that contribute to behavior and outcomes. By identifying the unique contributions of different variables, researchers and clinicians can develop more targeted interventions and treatments that address specific factors that may be influencing behavior or outcomes.

Similar concepts in psychology include the concepts of specificity and interaction effects. Specificity refers to the idea that different factors may have specific effects on a particular outcome or behavior. For example, a study of the effects of different types of exercise on cardiovascular health may find that certain types of exercise have specific effects on different aspects of cardiovascular health, such as blood pressure or cholesterol levels.

Interaction effects refer to the ways in which the effects of one variable may depend on or interact with the effects of another variable. For example, a study of the effects of parenting style and child temperament on child behavior may find that the effects of parenting style depend on the child's temperament. Specifically, a strict and structured parenting style may be more effective for children who are high in impulsivity, while a more permissive parenting style may be more effective for children who are low in impulsivity.

In conclusion, noncommon effects are a concept in psychology that refer to the unique effects that a specific variable has on an outcome or behavior, beyond the effects that can be explained by other variables. These effects are important to consider in research and clinical practice, as they allow for a more nuanced understanding of the factors that contribute to behavior and outcomes. Similar concepts in psychology include specificity and interaction effects, which also emphasize the importance of considering the unique contributions of different variables.