PsychologyJuly 14, 2026
valence
/ˈveɪ.ləns/
Definition
The degree of positive or negative emotional tone conveyed by language or expression.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin word 'valentia,' meaning 'strength' or 'capacity.' It entered English in the 19th century through chemistry to describe combining power and was later adopted in psychology to denote the attractiveness or aversiveness of an event or stimulus.
In the news
In the article, researchers used 'valence' to quantify the emotional tone of 911 dispatchers' narratives, finding that the frequent use of negatively valenced words was a reliable indicator of depression and anxiety symptoms.
Word choice linked to depression and anxiety symptoms in 911 dispatchers
Read the full article ↗Medical Xpress