From Modifiers to Prefixes
Paul M. Muchinsky
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro*
It occurred over 30 years ago, but I still remember the event vividly. I was
attending the orientation program for new doctoral students in psychology. The
room was packed with students, while a few professors ran the meeting. We
were to introduce ourselves and then state what program area of psychology we
were studying. The department was very large, so there were many areas of
psychology represented. Student by student, we went around the room, said
our name, and then said social, experimental, I-O, clinical, school, counseling,
developmental, or consumer. Following the meeting we adjourned for refreshments, where we met more faculty members. Two old crusty professors (I’m
guessing they were about my current age) groused that too much emphasis was
being placed on the modifier (e.g., social, experimental, etc.) and not emphasis
on the noun, psychology, that united all of us together in the room. They said
(correctly) our PhD degrees would state only “psychology” and not include the
modifier that the students seemed to think was so important.
I now skip ahead about 10 years. I’m reading the APA Monitor about job
openings. I see one where a university wants someone with training in “neuropsychology.” I discreetly asked a trusted colleague what “neuropsychology” was all about. He replied it was the study of the brain and behavior. His
answer was what I had expected, but I was intrigued why it was “neuropsychology” and not “neural psychology.” How did a modifier become a prefix
to the word “psychology,” creating a new and bigger word? I didn’t know.
Another 20 years goes by. This time I’m reading a promo for a book. The
book is described as representing the latest research in “pharmoneuropsychology.” I just about wig out. I ask a colleague the meaning of this 21-letter word.
I was told it is the study of how drugs affect the brain and behavior. Three things
strike me about this word. First, it sure is big and important sounding. Second,
we have evolved from a modifier (social) to a prefix (neuro) to double prefixes
(pharmoneuro). Both prefixes end in the letter “o.” That is the key letter in the
prefix. And third, the word doesn’t really exist. Someone just made it up to convey meaning, in this case the study of how drugs affect the brain and behavior.
Well folks, I will no longer sit back and be a laggard in the name game.
So what follows are 25 new names for areas of study in psychology. Don’t
*Unamused,
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indifferent, or entertained readers can contact the author at [email protected].
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Volume 40 Number 4
complain to me if you don’t like the new words. I didn’t inflate this ball, I’m
just running with it.
The study of why people like to eat Mexican food—tacoburritopsychology
The study of why people in some nations reject capitalism in favor of a
Marxist orientation—harpogrouchopsychology
The study of the behavior of New York Yankee baseball players who are
elected to the Hall of Fame—dimaggiorizzutopsychology
The study of people who live in the capitol city of their respective
nations—tokyocairopsychology
The study of how the sounds made by some musical instruments are
soothing to the nerves—pianocellopsychology
The study of how people psychologically identify with the currencies of
their respective countries—europesopsychology
The study of why people like to eat soft foods—oleojellopsychology
The study of why people like to watch animated cartoon characters—
gepettopinocchiopsychology
The study of maladaptive adult behavior caused by early childhood belief
in fictional beings—hohohopsychology
The study of altruism—probonopsychology
The study of why people are fascinated with the lives of the ancient
Greeks and Romans—platociceropsychology
The study of men who join the Sons of Italy fraternal organization—roccovitopsychology
The study of abnormal behavior caused by living in large states whose
geographic boundaries are demarcated by sharp corners—coloradonewmexicopsychology
The study of how various types of fertilization affect subsequent human
behavior—invitroinvivopsychology
The study of why people continue to support athletic teams that are chronic underachievers—expoastropsychology
The study of how vapors affect behavior—h2obopsychology
The study of how art inspires human behavior—michelangelopicassopsychology
The study of tenor behavior— placidodomingopsychology
The study of egocentrism—numerounopsychology
The study of people who believe in astrology—leovirgopsychology
The study of vegetarian behavior—tomatopotatopsychology
The study of people who love to travel— marcopolopsychology
The study of celebrity behavior—jloringopsychology
The study of Shakespearean behavior—othelloromeopsychology
The study of people who like watching reruns of very old television programs—hawaii5ocolumbopsychology
The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist
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Let’s face it, these names for fields of psychological study are a lot more
impressive-looking and self-important than the old modifier approach. I
understand there is some movement afoot to change the name of industrialorganizational psychology. Let’s get with the program. I say it should be
industrialoorganizationalopsychology.
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April 2003
Volume 40 Number 4