mentalism

/ˈmɛntl̩ɪzəm/
noun
  1. The belief that the mind and mental processes are the most important reality, or that mental phenomena cannot be fully explained by physical processes alone.
    • The philosopher argued for mentalism, claiming that consciousness is not reducible to brain activity.
    • In the history of psychology, mentalism was challenged by the rise of behaviorism in the early 20th century.
    • Many psychologists reject mentalism and instead focus only on observable behavior.
  2. A performance art in which the performer appears to use psychic abilities, such as mind reading, telepathy, or clairvoyance, often through psychological tricks and suggestion.
    • Unlike magic tricks that use props, mentalism relies on psychology and suggestion.
    • He studied mentalism for years, learning how to read body language and influence people's choices.
    • The mentalism show amazed the audience when the performer guessed the number someone was thinking of.
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