Soul vs. Psyche — What's the Difference?

The unchanging spiritual core of a person.

Defines character and behavioral tendencies.

Integral to concepts of afterlife and salvation.

Subject of therapy and psychological theories.

The aspect of a person connected to the divine.

Part of the mind not fully accessible but influential.

Guides ethical behavior and decisions.

Encompasses mental and emotional processes.

Explored in terms of existence and essence.

Related to thinking and problem-solving.

In many religious, philosophical, and mythological traditions, the soul is the incorporeal essence of a living being. Soul or psyche (Ancient Greek: ψυχή psykhḗ, of ψύχειν psýkhein, "to breathe", cf.

A Hellenistic personification of the soul as female, or sometimes as a butterfly. The allegory of Psyche's love for Cupid is told in The Golden Ass by Apuleius.

The spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.

Variant spelling of psych

Emotional or intellectual energy or intensity, especially as revealed in a work of art or an artistic performance

Variant spelling of psych

The essence or embodiment of a specified quality

Variant of psych.

In Aristotelian philosophy, an animating or vital principle inherent in living things and endowing them in various degrees with the potential to grow and reproduce, to move and respond to stimuli (as in the case of animals), and to think rationally (as in the case of humans).

A young woman who loved and was loved by Eros and was united with him after Aphrodite's jealousy was overcome. She subsequently became the personification of the soul.

A human

The human soul, mind, or spirit.

A person considered as the embodiment of an intangible quality; a personification

(chiefly psychology) The human mind as the central force in thought, emotion, and behavior of an individual.

A person's emotional or moral nature

A small white butterfly, Leptosia nina, family Pieridae, of Asia and Australasia.

The central or integral part; the vital core

Abbreviation of psychology

A sense of emotional strength or spiritual vitality held to derive from black and especially African American cultural experience, expressed in areas such as language, social customs, religion, and music.

(colloquial) psych

Strong, deeply felt emotion conveyed by a speaker, performer, or artist

(transitive) To put (someone) into a required psychological frame of mind.

Soul music.

(transitive) To intimidate (someone) emotionally using psychology.

The spirit or essence of anything.

To treat (someone) using psychoanalysis.

Life, energy, vigor.

A lovely maiden, daughter of a king and mistress of Eros, or Cupid. She is regarded as the personification of the soul.

(music) Soul music.

The soul; the vital principle; the mind.

A person, especially as one among many.

A cheval glass.

An individual life.

That which is responsible for one's thoughts and feelings; the seat of the faculty of reason;

(math) A kind of submanifold involved in the soul theorem of Riemannian geometry.

The immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

To endow with a soul or mind.

(Greek mythology) a beautiful princess loved by Cupid who visited her at night and told her she must not try to see him; became the personification of the soul

To beg on All Soul's Day.

(obsolete) To afford suitable sustenance.

Sole.

By or for African-Americans, or characteristic of their culture; as, soul music; soul newspapers; soul food.

To afford suitable sustenance.

To indue with a soul; to furnish with a soul or mind.

The spiritual, rational, and immortal part in man; that part of man which enables him to think, and which renders him a subject of moral government; - sometimes, in distinction from the higher nature, or spirit, of man, the so-called animal soul, that is, the seat of life, the sensitive affections and phantasy, exclusive of the voluntary and rational powers; - sometimes, in distinction from the mind, the moral and emotional part of man's nature, the seat of feeling, in distinction from intellect; - sometimes, the intellect only; the understanding; the seat of knowledge, as distinguished from feeling. In a more general sense, "an animating, separable, surviving entity, the vehicle of individual personal existence."

The seat of real life or vitality; the source of action; the animating or essential part.

The leader; the inspirer; the moving spirit; the heart; as, the soul of an enterprise; an able general is the soul of his army.

Energy; courage; spirit; fervor; affection, or any other noble manifestation of the heart or moral nature; inherent power or goodness.

A human being; a person; - a familiar appellation, usually with a qualifying epithet; as, poor soul.

A pure or disembodied spirit.

A perceived shared community and awareness among African-Americans.

Soul music.

The immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

A human being;

Deep feeling or emotion

The human embodiment of something;

A secular form of gospel that was a major Black musical genre in the 1960s and 1970s;

Theories like Freud's psychoanalytic theory and Jung's analytical psychology are centered on understanding the psyche.

Typically, modern psychology focuses on the psyche and tends to avoid spiritual or religious interpretations like the soul.

Different cultures have varied beliefs about the soul's nature, purpose, and journey, often tied to religious and spiritual traditions.

The psyche is the main focus in therapy, aiming to resolve conflicts, heal trauma, and improve mental health.

The soul is considered a spiritual, eternal essence, while the psyche refers to the human mind and emotional processes.

Yes, the psyche is dynamic and changes in response to experiences, growth, and therapy.

The soul is not typically subject to scientific testing due to its metaphysical and spiritual implications.

Beliefs about the soul can influence views on right and wrong, often guiding moral behavior and ethical decision-making.

Yes, in discussions about human nature and behavior, both concepts can intersect, particularly in contexts exploring the depth of human consciousness.

Cultural factors shape how mental processes and emotional responses are perceived and managed.

Religious teachings about the soul often shape individuals' views on ethics, morality, and the afterlife.

Insights into the psyche can lead to better self-awareness, emotional regulation, and personal growth.

Psychological assessments, clinical observations, and empirical research are key methods.

A common misconception is that they are interchangeable; they actually refer to different aspects of human existence, spiritual vs. mental.

Most, but not all, religions have some concept of the soul or a similar spiritual element.