Adjustment (psychology)

In psychology, adjustment refers to the behavioural process of balancing conflicting needs, or needs against obstacles in the environment. Humans and animals regularly do this, for example, when they are stimulated by their physiological state to seek food, they eat (if possible) to reduce their hunger and thus adjust to the hunger stimulus. Adjustment disorder occurs when there is an inability to make a normal adjustment to some need or stress in the environment.

In general, the adjustment process involves four parts:

1. a need or motive in the form of a strong persistent stimulus
2. the thwarting or nonfulfillment of this need
3. varied activity, or exploratory behaviour accompanied by problem solving
4. some response that removes or at least reduces the initiating stimulus and completes the adjustment.^[1]

See also

• Psychological adaptation

References

External links

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