Déformation professionnelle (French:[defɔʁmasjɔ̃pʁɔfɛsjɔnɛl],professional deformation orjob conditioning) is a tendency to look at things from the point of view of one's ownprofession or specialexpertise, rather than from a broader or humane perspective. It is often translated asprofessional deformation, though Frenchdéformation can also be translated asdistortion. The implication is thatprofessional training, and its relatedsocialization, often result in a distortion of the way one views the world.[1] The Nobel laureateAlexis Carrel has observed that "[e]very specialist, owing to a well-known professional bias, believes that he understands the entire human being, while in reality he only grasps a tiny part of him."[2]
"Déformation professionnelle" was used in nineteenth-century medicine to describe a bodily deformity caused by one's occupation.[3][4]
As a term in psychology, it was likely introduced by the Belgian sociologistDaniel Warnotte [de],[5] or the Russian-American sociologistPitirim Sorokin.[citation needed]
The colloquial termnerdview describes a similar tendency.[6]
The transition to a study of the negative aspects of bureaucracy is afforded by the application of Veblen's concept of 'trained incapacity', Dewey's notion of 'occupational psychosis' or Warnotte's view of 'professional deformation'.
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