Key terms & definitions

An admission of wrongdoing. Small’s confession also functions as a defence in which he explains his suffering and attempts to reduce his responsibility.

Acknowledging one's sins rather than denying or excusing them.

A priest who hears someone confess their sins and offers spiritual guidance.

A trusted person to whom someone reveals private thoughts or secrets.

A trusted companion with whom someone shares private thoughts and feelings.

The degree of trust placed in a prediction or explanation after considering the available evidence and its limitations.

The degree of trust placed in a prediction or hypothesis in the light of the available evidence.

Belief in your own ability and in the potential of your business idea.

Support in the House of Commons that allows a government to remain in office and carry out its essential business.

An agreement under which a party outside government supports it on confidence votes and essential financial votes without taking ministerial posts.

Information that should only be available to authorised people, such as passwords or private account details.

The protection of a participant's personal and medical information from unauthorised disclosure.

Protection of information so that it is not disclosed to people who are not authorised to see it.

Keeping participants' personal information private and not disclosing identifiable information outside the research team.

Protecting participants' personal information from unauthorised access or disclosure that could identify them.

Keeping hot fusion fuel in a region where it can react without touching and damaging the surrounding vessel.

The sacrament which seals and strengthens the gifts of the Holy Spirit, helping a baptised person live and witness to their faith.

The seizure of property by an authority, without the owner's consent.

A struggle or clash between opposing forces, people, values or feelings. It can occur within one person as well as between groups.

A clash between people or groups over competing interests, beliefs or aims; it need not involve violence.

A sociological approach that emphasises unequal power and competing interests between social groups.

The struggles over legal protection, economic grievances and political power between Rome’s patricians and plebeians.

An approach that sees society as involving unequal power and competing interests between social groups.

The process of settling a disagreement or ending a conflict, for example through negotiation, mediation and agreements that address its causes.

An approach which explains society mainly through inequalities of power and competing group interests.

The place where rivers or streams join.

A thin protective insulating coating that follows the surfaces of a circuit board and its components.

Behaving as expected by those in authority, whether or not someone privately agrees with them.

Merton’s response in which an individual accepts conventional success goals and pursues them through socially approved means.

A change in behaviour or thinking because of real or imagined group pressure.