A psychological suggestion or idea introduced by another person that influences your thoughts or beliefs, especially unconsciously.
From Greek 'hetero-' (different, other) and Latin 'suggestio' (prompting, suggestion). Developed in early 20th-century psychology to distinguish suggestion from external sources versus internally generated ideas.
Heterosuggestion explains why you might suddenly crave pizza after a friend mentions it—their suggestion literally changes your mind without conscious deliberation. It's the psychological mechanism behind advertising, social influence, and why group opinions feel so contagious.
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