<p>Folk psychology knows and uses the concept of "being of the same mind" that often is supposed to explain why two people find themselves sympathic or like (or even love) each other.</p>

<p>"Being of the same mind" includes </p>

<ul>
<li>beliefs and models</li>
<li>preferences, values, and interests</li>
<li>liking and disliking (of other things and persons)</li>
<li>behaviour. </li>
</ul>

<p>It depends on the proper individual mix of similarities of minds that lets one find someone else sympathic, and sometimes it's the same mix that lets two people like <em>each other</em>. Note, that the proper mix may either be an enabling factor (a necessary condition), or a driver (a sufficient condition).</p>

<p>I wonder if there is a single scientific term for "being of the same (or similar) mind", and which role it plays in scientific psychology. (Maybe none because it's considered too unspecific a concept - or even undefinable.)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-10T13:35:58.033Z
Can you please cite where you have seen reference to this *"ticking (similarly)"*?
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-10T14:12:41.787Z
@ChrisRogers: As I've mentioned: It's a folk psychology term and so there are not so many scientific references. But at least in German one very frequently says colloquially "A and B tick quite similarly ['ticken ähnlich'], that's why they understand (and/or like) each other so well".
Hans-Peter Stricker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-10T14:23:23.647Z
I'm fairly comfortable saying this term is not used in English. There are related concepts that may translate but I'm hesitant to suggest one not knowing the implications of the German phrase.
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-10T14:25:23.720Z
@BryanKrause: Could you suggest (to me as a non-native English speaker) some possible translations? (I'll try to figure out if they match.) Implications of the German phrase: sharing beliefs and world views, preferences, values, and interests, liking and disliking of other things and persons, behaviours.
Hans-Peter Stricker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-10T14:34:46.817Z
You might say that people click, go well together, are compatible. Though these may not imply similarity, necessarily. More idiomic phrases would include being cut from the same cloth, being like two peas in a pod, of the same mind, birds of a feather flock together.
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-10T14:51:29.777Z
@BryanKrause: I choose "being of the same mind" (as being the least idiomatic).
Hans-Peter Stricker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-10T18:45:05.707Z
The wording "Being of the same mind" is used in the Bible: "complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind." (from [BibleHub](https://biblehub.com/philippians/2-2.htm)), which clearly means "sharing same beliefs."
Jan
<social-psychology><cognitive-modeling><behavior><preferences><attraction>
"Being of the same mind" as a scientific concept
Hans-Peter Stricker
# "Being of the same mind" as a scientific concept

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-02-10)

Folk psychology knows and uses the concept of "being of the same mind" that often is supposed to explain why two people find themselves sympathic or like (or even love) each other.

"Being of the same mind" includes

* beliefs and models
* preferences, values, and interests
* liking and disliking (of other things and persons)
* behaviour.

It depends on the proper individual mix of similarities of minds that lets one find someone else sympathic, and sometimes it's the same mix that lets two people like *each other*. Note, that the proper mix may either be an enabling factor (a necessary condition), or a driver (a sufficient condition).

I wonder if there is a single scientific term for "being of the same (or similar) mind", and which role it plays in scientific psychology. (Maybe none because it's considered too unspecific a concept - or even undefinable.)

**Tags:** social-psychology, cognitive-modeling, behavior, preferences, attraction

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can you please cite where you have seen reference to this *"ticking (similarly)"*?  
> **username_0**: @ChrisRogers: As I've mentioned: It's a folk psychology term and so there are not so many scientific references. But at least in German one very frequently says colloquially "A and B tick quite similarly ['ticken ähnlich'], that's why they understand (and/or like) each other so well".  
> **username_2**: I'm fairly comfortable saying this term is not used in English. There are related concepts that may translate but I'm hesitant to suggest one not knowing the implications of the German phrase.  
> **username_0**: @BryanKrause: Could you suggest (to me as a non-native English speaker) some possible translations? (I'll try to figure out if they match.) Implications of the German phrase: sharing beliefs and world views, preferences, values, and interests, liking and disliking of other things and persons, behaviours.  
> **username_2**: You might say that people click, go well together, are compatible. Though these may not imply similarity, necessarily. More idiomic phrases would include being cut from the same cloth, being like two peas in a pod, of the same mind, birds of a feather flock together.  
> **username_0**: @BryanKrause: I choose "being of the same mind" (as being the least idiomatic).  
> **username_3**: The wording "Being of the same mind" is used in the Bible: "complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind." (from [BibleHub](https://biblehub.com/philippians/2-2.htm)), which clearly means "sharing same beliefs."  

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## 0 answers

