The United States Constitution has been a notable model for governance around the world. Its international influence is found in similarities of phrasing and borrowed passages in other constitutions, as well as in the principles of the rule of law, separation of powers and recognition of individual rights.
flat afÂ·fect. 1  absence of or diminution in the amount of emotional tone or outward emotional reaction typically shown by oneself or others under similar circumstances; a milder form is termed blunted affect.
Flat affect is a condition in which a person does not display emotions to the degree that other members of his or her culture would normally exhibit. It is used loosely to mean a dampening of these emotions, but clinically, it is usually reserved for more serious cases where patients may appear nearly inanimate or lacking emotional function.