APA Dictionary of Psychology

symmetry compulsion

Updated on 04/19/2018
a compulsion to arrange objects in a certain way (e.g., in a room) or in a particular order (e.g., on a desk). Symmetry compulsion is associated with obsessions about neatness or perfection. It can be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder or, sometimes, of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.
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