affective
a-FEK-tiv
/æˈfɛktɪv/
Relating to moods, feelings, attitudes, or emotional responses.
Strictly technical and emotional in focus; distinct from 'effective' which deals with success and practical outcomes.
The story behind the word. Formed in Late Latin from 'affectus' (disposition or state of mind). It was adopted into modern psychology to classify mental processes related to feeling rather than intellect.
Word relationships
- emotional: Emotional is general conversational usage; affective is precise scientific and psychological vocabulary.
- cognitive: Cognitive relates to thinking and intellectual processes, whereas affective relates to feelings.
Commonly confused with
- effective: Affective means emotional; effective means producing results.
Word family
- affect (verb/noun): To influence or emotional expression.
Collocations
- affective domain
- affective disorder
- affective neuroscience
Example sentences
- "Seasonal affective disorder is characterized by depressive episodes during winter months." Psychology
Memory hook
Affective = Affect + Feelings. A-ffective deals with A-ttitudes and feelings.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'effective'; 'affective' never means useful or successful.
Fun facts
- In education theory, Bloom's Taxonomy splits learning into Cognitive, Affective, and Psychomotor domains.
Explore more words
affectionate, expressive, sentimental, affection, affable, attachment
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