magical thinking

thinking /think·ing/ (thingk´ing) ideational mental activity (as opposed to emotional activity).

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autistic thinking  preoccupation with inner thoughts, daydreams, fantasies, private logic; egocentric, subjective thinking lacking objectivity and connection with external reality.

dereistic thinking  thinking not in accordance with the facts of reality and experience and following illogical, idiosyncratic reasoning.

magical thinking  that characterized by the belief that thinking or wishing something can cause it to occur.

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magical thinking

[maj′ikəl]

(in psychology) a belief that merely thinking about an event in the external world can cause it to occur. It is regarded as a form of regression to an early phase of development. It may be part of ideas of reference, considered normal in those instances, or may reach delusional proportions when the individual maintains a firm conviction about the belief, despite evidence to the contrary. It may be seen in schizophrenia.

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Magical Thinking

The erroneous belief, similar to a normal stage of childhood development—Piaget’s pre-operational phase—that thoughts assume a magical power capable of influencing events without a physical action actually occurring; a conviction that thinking equates with doing, accompanied by an unrealistic understanding of cause and effect
Examples Dreams in children, in primitive peoples, and in patients under various conditions

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thinking [thingk´ing]

ideational mental activity (in contrast to emotional activity); the flow of ideas, symbols, and associations that brings forth concepts and reasons.

autistic thinking self-absorption; preoccupation with inner thoughts, daydreams, fantasies, delusions, drives, and personal logic. It is egocentric, subjective thinking lacking objectivity and preferring a narcissistic, inner, private reality to that with external validity. Used interchangeably with dereistic thinking, although differing in emphasis. Called also autism.

critical thinking a style of reasoning that involves a complex process of reflection and analysis. See accompanying table.

dereistic thinking thinking not in accordance with the facts of reality and experience and following illogical, idiosyncratic reasoning. Used interchangeably with autistic thinking, although not an exact synonym: dereistic emphasizes disconnection from reality and autistic emphasizes preoccupation with inner experience. Called also dereism.

magical thinking that characterized by the belief that thinking or wishing something can cause it to occur.

primary process thinking in psychoanalytic theory, primitive thought processes deriving from the id and marked by illogical form, preverbal content, an emphasis on immediate wish fulfillment, and an equating of thought and action. Such processes are characteristic of childhood and of dreams.

secondary process thinking in psychoanalytic theory, the more sophisticated thought processes, based on logic, obeying the rules of causality, and consistent with external reality. Such processes are characteristic of mature conscious thought.

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magical thinking

Psychology Dereitic thinking, similar to a normal stage of childhood development, in which thoughts, words or actions assume a magical power, and are able to prevent or cause events to happen without a physical action occurring; a conviction that thinking equates with doing, accompanied by an unrealistic understanding of cause and effect Examples Dreams in children, in primitive peoples, and in Pts under various conditions