What is flattening of affect?

"Flattening of affect" refers to a
constricted or completely blunted emotional response to a situation that would otherwise illicit
a strong emotional response. Psychologists typically use this term in reference to the
schizophrenic mind's tendency to display inappropriate emotional reactions to various stimuli,
and it is not to be confused with the low emotional energy of a depressed mind.


In 's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the
flattening of affect refers to the inability of the androids to empathize with others, which
serves as an important diagnostic tool to distinguish them from humans. When flattening of
affect has nothing to do with a mental illness, it marks its bearer as something fundamentally
other than human. Pris uses the explanation of schizophrenia to pass off as human and avoid
being "retired."