Its a noun, too.

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affect_(psychology)

Every writers tips blog I've read ignores AFFECT used as a noun. Its a transient mental state unrelated to mood. Think bee sting or fender bender or your ice cream falls off its cone.

 

[Swilly]

True, but not easy to use in everyday speak. It's rarely used outside of psychology:

The noun affect is restricted almost entirely to psychology (according to oxford dictionary.)

I prefer to use psychological terms like fucking wacko. You know, a bit more laymen of me.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

True, but not easy to use in everyday speak. It's rarely used outside of psychology:

The noun affect is restricted almost entirely to psychology (according to oxford dictionary.)

I prefer to use psychological terms like fucking wacko. You know, a bit more laymen of me.

Transient feelings are affect; try stretching you mind instead of gloating over your ignorance.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Transient feelings are affect; try stretching you mind instead of gloating over your ignorance.

But then what is the cause of those transient feelings?

 

[Swilly]

Transient feelings are affect; try stretching you mind instead of gloating over your ignorance.

Just having fun, JBJ. No need to get your drawers in a bunch. (Didn't we have a thread on that already?)

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Just having fun, JBJ. No need to get your drawers in a bunch. (Didn't we have a thread on that already?)

Youre a simpleton and an ass, dear.

 

[lovecraft68]

True, but not easy to use in everyday speak. It's rarely used outside of psychology:

The noun affect is restricted almost entirely to psychology (according to oxford dictionary.)

I prefer to use psychological terms like fucking wacko. You know, a bit more laymen of me.

That's a little harsh.

The PC term is nutbags.

 

[Swilly]

Youre a simpleton and an ass, dear.

Alright, alright. Perhaps my response was out of line, JBJ, but there was a point. The use of the word in common language or literature is quite sparse for a reason.

If, as is postulated by the Oxford dictionary, the word is seldom used outside psychology, then it is unlikely to be used all that often, particularly if a writer doesn't have a background in that field. It is likely, then, that the writer will use a more common word to convey meaning. Throw in the fact that it is almost always used as a verb, as you've noted, and often confused with effect, and you probably have a good reason why people shy away from it.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Alright, alright. Perhaps my response was out of line, JBJ, but there was a point. The use of the word in common language or literature is quite sparse for a reason.

If, as is postulated by the Oxford dictionary, the word is seldom used outside psychology, then it is unlikely to be used all that often, particularly if a writer doesn't have a background in that field. It is likely, then, that the writer will use a more common word to convey meaning. Throw in the fact that it is almost always used as a verb, as you've noted, and often confused with effect, and you probably have a good reason why people shy away from it.

Gimme a synonym for affect? Feeling is internal experience, affect is what the world observes. Maybe its time to call a spade a spade.

 

[R. Richard]

"Its a noun, too." Actually, It's a contraction.

 

[patientlee]

Countenance

 

[elfin_odalisque]

Affect, though still a frequently used verb, is now a psychology term meaning conscious aspect of feeling or emotion and is no use to us ordinary folk as a noun.

I think you could technically say, 'I have an affect for my dog' but it jars so we have replaced this by, 'I have an affection for my dog'. I think 'affection' is as close to a synonym as you get in everyday language

 

[patientlee]

When we fill out info sheets got kids who might be suicidal or using drugs, one if the choices on the list is sad affect. I think of it like Eeyore.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

When we fill out info sheets got kids who might be suicidal or using drugs, one if the choices on the list is sad affect. I think of it like Eeyore.

Of course!

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Affect, though still a frequently used verb, is now a psychology term meaning conscious aspect of feeling or emotion and is no use to us ordinary folk as a noun.

I think you could technically say, 'I have an affect for my dog' but it jars so we have replaced this by, 'I have an affection for my dog'. I think 'affection' is as close to a synonym as you get in everyday language

Per usual I think youre fulla crap. Affect has been around forever cuz there's really no other term to lump posture, speech, etc into one cohesive judgment. Some use 'presents as' in place of affect.

I'd prolly use AFFECT this way: Her jovial affect was incongruent with her depressed mood, but then she was drunk.

But back to my premise: AFFECT is a noun, too.