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double bind - 3 dictionary results
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double bind

 
Use double bind in a Sentence
–noun
1. Psychology. a situation in which a person is given conflicting cues, esp. by a parent, such that to obey one cue is to disobey the other.
2. dilemma (def. 1).
Origin:
1955–60, Americanism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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double bind  
n.  
  1. A psychological impasse created when contradictory demands are made of an individual, such as a child or an employee, so that no matter which directive is followed, the response will be construed as incorrect.
  2. A situation in which a person must choose between equally unsatisfactory alternatives; a punishing and inescapable dilemma.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Main Entry: dou·ble bind
Pronunciation: 'd&b-&l-'bInd
Function: noun
: a psychological predicament in which a person receives from a singlesource conflicting messages that allow no appropriate response to be made
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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