# affective

/əˈfɛktɪv/ (US) · /ɐfˈɛktɪv/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/affective
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

relating to your feelings, emotions, or how you connect with other people. It describes things that influence your mood or how you feel about something.

For teachers: relating to the emotional or psychological aspects of a person or process. Often used in psychology to describe the internal experience of feelings, or in linguistics to describe the grammatical category of mood.

## Examples

- The teacher noticed the student's affective needs during the lesson.
- The new curriculum includes affective learning strategies to help students manage their stress and build confidence.
- While cognitive development is often the primary focus of early education, affective growth is equally vital for a child's ability to form healthy social bonds and regulate their own emotional responses.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.