Definition of: negativism

(neg′ə·tiv·iz′əm) noun
1. The beliefs or attitude of any negative thinker; atheism, agnosticism, etc.
2. The denial of traditional beliefs without proposing constructive substitutes.
3. Psychol. A type of behavior characterized by resistance to suggestion: when the subject fails to do what he is expected or asked to do, such behavior is known as pas-sive negativism; when the subject does the opposite, active or command negativism.
—neg′a·tiv·ist noun
—neg′a·tiv·is′tic adjective