transpersonal psychology
/ˌtrænzˈpɜːrsənəl saɪˈkɒlədʒi/
noun
Origin
English
trans- + persona + psychology — Study of the mind beyond the individual personality
Overview
Meaning Now
- A school of psychology that integrates spiritual and transcendent aspects of the human experience with the framework of modern psychology.
Literal older meaning
Psychology that goes beyond the personal
Language path
Latin → English
Earliest form
transpersonal psychology
Earliest period
1960s
Journey
Transpersonal psychology emerged in the late 1960s as a 'fourth force' in psychology, following behaviorism, psychoanalysis, and humanistic psychology. It was founded by figures such as Abraham Maslow, Anthony Sutich, and Stanislav Grof to address the human search for meaning and mystical or spiritual experiences.
Evolution
- Latin
trans
“across, beyond”
Prefix from Latin preposition meaning across
- Latin
persona
“mask, character, individual”
Origin of 'personal'
- 1967
transpersonal
“beyond the individual”
Coined by Abraham Maslow and colleagues
Connections
Word parts
trans-
prefix
across or beyond
personal
stem
relating to the individual
psychology
root
study of the mind
Related across languages
French
transpersonnel
transpersonal
German
Transpersonale Psychologie
transpersonal psychology
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.