Psychology: Upper-intermediate Spanish vocabulary

38 Spanish words about psychology at upper-intermediate level. Each entry links to the full meaning, a real example sentence, and usage notes written for English speakers.

• sentimientonounsentiment, feeling — an emotion or opinion based on feeling rather than reason
• comportamientonounbehaviour, conduct
• agencianounagency — an organisation acting on behalf of others or providing a specialised service
• motivonounmotive, reason — the reason behind an action or decision; also a recurring theme in art
• verguenzanounshame, embarrassment — the feeling of distress caused by wrong or foolish behaviour
• tristezanounsorrow, sadness — deep distress or grief
• traumanountrauma — a deeply distressing experience; the lasting psychological effects thereof
• ambiciónnounambition, drive
• empatianounempathy, sympathy — the ability to understand and share the feelings of another
• genionountemper, temperament
• vicionounvice — immoral or wicked behaviour; a weakness of character
• apetitonounappetite, eagerness
• curiosidadnouncuriosity — a strong desire to know or learn
• pertenencianounbelonging, sense of membership
• trastornonoundisorder — a functional disruption, especially psychological or neurological
• angustianoundistress, anguish
• resilienteadjectiveresilient
• deleitenoundelight, refined pleasure
• conscienteadjectiveconscious, aware — knowing or mindful of something
• ansiosoadjectiveanxious — in a state of nervous worry or anticipation
• creatividadnounthe ability to produce original and imaginative ideas or work
• duelonoungrief, mourning — the emotional process of bereavement after loss; also a duel
• rondarverbto haunt, to torment
• persistirverbto persist, to persevere
• instintonouninstinct — an innate tendency to behave in a particular way without reasoning
• inducirverbto induce, to lead to
• influirverbto influence, to affect
• tentarverbto tempt, to entice
• aislarverbto isolate, to cut off
• manipularverbto manipulate, to control
• estado de ánimonounmood, emotional state — a temporary emotional condition affecting behaviour
• obsesionarseverbto obsess, to fixate
• resistirverbto resist, to withstand
• abrumarverbto overwhelm, to overpower
• percepciónnounperception — the way something is understood or interpreted; the process of becoming aware
• personalidadnounpersonality — the combination of characteristics that form an individual's distinctive character
• temperamentonountemperament — a person's stable habitual disposition and character; not a momentary mood; 'temperamento impulsivo/tranquilo'
• tensiónnounstrain, tension