Here’s 20 words you are probably using wrongly, according to scientists

Have you ever described someone as ‘antisocial’ because they’re not keen on mingling with other people?

If so, you’re using the word wrongly, psychologists say: the correct term is ‘asocial’, as ‘antisocial’ people are obnoxious and difficult to get on with.

A new paper in the scientific journal Frontiers in Education has highlighted 50 pairs of words which confuse people – and which are often used wrongly.

‘Words matter, and science is no exception,’ says Scott O. Lilienfeld, professor of psychology at Emory University, USA, and one of the paper’s authors. ‘All sciences rely on specialized terminology which must be correctly understood to master the field’s core concepts.’

‘In psychology, many terms are confused not only by new students but also by advanced students, psychology instructors, and science journalists. These misunderstandings can impede the learning of other psychological ideas.’

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