A thesaurus provides a standard language or set of terms with which to describe a subject area. Applied to indexing of a database, it indicates to a searcher which terms to use to retrieve the maximum number of relevant documents.

The thesaurus terms are used by indexers to describe the contents of publications in a consistent, comprehensive and concise manner. These terms are listed in the Descriptors field (DE=) of each record added to the database.

Using our interactive Thesaurus Search you can browse for terms via a hierarchical, alphabetical, or rotated index display. These display formats allow you to navigate the thesaurus alphabetically or through the hierarchical relationships between terms. After finding appropriate terms, you can submit a search for those terms in the database descriptor field.

The PsycINFO Thesaurus file consists of more than 8200 records derived from the Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, 11th edition (2007). The terms in the Thesaurus file correspond to those appearing in the Descriptor fields (Major Descriptors identified by an *).

1. Hierarchy of Terms

The relationships between descriptors are:

Scope Note - Used with terms that have ambiguous meanings, applications unique to the PsycINFO database, or usage patterns that have changed over time. In many cases, a Scope Note provides a definition and/or information on proper use of the term. The Scope Note always refers to the Main Term with which it is associated and does not necessarily have implications for the list of associated terms.
Broader Term - indicates a term which is conceptually broader in meaning than the lead-term.
Narrower Term - indicates a term which is conceptually narrower in meaning than the lead-term.
Related Term - indicates a term which is related in meaning to the lead-term.
[+] = Term indicated is listed as a main term with narrower terms available

2. Synonyms

Use - Directs from a term that cannot be used to a term that can be used to search.
Use for - Indicates some of the most frequently encountered synonyms, abbreviations, alternate spellings or word sequences.

WORD FORM CONVENTIONS

Conventions dealing with singular and plural word forms, direct and indirect entries, abbreviations, acronyms, homographs, and punctuatuion have been used to ensure standardization of the Thesaurus vocabulary. For example, noun forms are preferred entries, with the plural form used when the term is a noun that can be qualified (e.g., Computers, College Students, or Employment Tests) and the singular form when the term refers to processes, properties, or conditions (.e.g., Learning, Grief, or Rehabilitation). Direct entry or natural word order is preferred when a concept is represented by two or more words ( e.g., Mental Health vs "Health, Mental" or Artificial Intelligence vs "Intelligence, Artificial").

Some terms that would exceed the 36 character limit completely spelled out are abbreviated (e.g., Minn Multiphasaic Personality Inven and Rotter Intern Extern Locu Cont Scal). A selected number of acronyms are also used, such as , DOPA, REM Sleep, and ROTC Students. In cases where ambiguity may occur and to clarify the meaning of homographs, qualifying expressions are included in parentheses [e.g., Culture (Anthropological), Conservation (Ecological Behavior), and Reconstruction (Learning)].