The mind is a beautiful, wonderful thing. It swirls with emotions and doubts, wants and needs. It processes knowledge quicker than we could ever imagine. It’s such a complex mechanism, we’ll never really, truly understand the great capacity that it has. And, when it comes to relationships – either amongst friends or prospective partners – the mind truly has a mind of its own.

That is, to say, that there are a plethora of Psychological Phenomena that can come into play when it comes to relationships. From Déjà Vu to Jamais Vu, there are a variety of situations in which Psychological Phenomena can impact our relationships, and have great meaning to our overall psyche.

Scared yet?

Don’t be. Knowing all about the most common Psychological Phenomena can be fun, especially when you’re meeting someone for the first time, or perhaps entering into a brand new relationship. The important thing is that you can learn to recognize some of them, so you can be aware of them when they happen, whether it’s within a new relationship or one that you’ve been in for years.

Below are four interesting Psychological Phenomena – and what they mean to your relationships.

Déjà Vu

Déjà Vu is a term that is commonly used, but do you know what it actually means?

Déjà Vu refers to the experience of being certain that you have been in this same place before – whether that place is a situation, a conversation, or a location. You feel as if it has already happened or that it is repeating itself.

This is quite common in relationships, especially first dates. If you’re spending time having the same old conversation again and again on every first date, you could be experiencing a form of Déjà Vu. It can often bring on a strange feeling; one that is eerie or odd.

If you’re experiencing Déjà Vu on a date, perhaps it’s time to switch up those old “first date” questions, or consider a new location for dinner.

Déjà Visté

Déjà Visté is a less common experience, but still one that is often prevalent in relationships.

Déjà Visté revers to an uncanny knowledge of a new place. For example, if you decide to hike a new trail on a second date, but it feels like you absolutely know your way around this new landscape (almost like you’ve been there before!) this is Déjà Visté. It’s physically impossible to know the route, if we’re referring to the hiking example, but you feel like you were just there yesterday.

Déjà Senti

One of the most fascinating Psychological Phenomenon experiences is Déjà Senti. Déjà Senti refers to the phenomenon of having “already felt” something. Often, this is knowing in advance what someone is going to say or what they are going to do. It is more commonly referred to as a flash back memory.

This can be triggered by someone’s voice; does a new friend remind you of an old friend when you hear them speak? Are you more in touch with your mental state, perhaps having the feeling that you know what this person is going to say or what they are going to do?

Déjà Senti is described as an unnerving, but sometimes comforting feeling.

Jamais Vu

The opposite of Déjà Vu, and perhaps the most appropriate to finish our list with, is Jamais Vu.

Jamais Vu describes a familiar situation that is not recognized. As such, it is the complete opposite of Déjà Vu; with Jamais Vu, you do not recognize the situation you are in, despite knowing that you have absolutely been there before.

For example, if you and your best friend visit a bar that you definitively know you have visited before, yet you have absolutely no recollection of what the bar looks like or where various areas are located, this is Jamais Vu.

The key here is that Jamais Vu only lasts momentarily. Perhaps you suddenly forget where the bar is located, or perhaps, as you return to your bar stool after washing your hands, you momentary forget where you were sitting.

(Don’t let his happen on a date).

As we can see, the mind is a beautiful thing filled with complex intricacies. What might be familiar today, may not be familiar tomorrow. These common Psychological Phenomena could happen to you, so we encourage you to be increasingly aware of your mental state as you embark on your day.