APTITUDE-TREATMENT INTERACTION
a hypothesis that certain patterns of aptitudes respond better to certain sets of treatments. For example, people with higher spatial…
AQUEOUS HUMOR
refers to the clear, sticky fluid that occupies the anterior and posterior chambers of the eye. The fluid is produced…
ARACHIDONIC ACID
a long-chain of polyunsaturated fatty acid that is a component of most cell membranes. When liberated from the membrane by…
ARACHNOID GRANULATIONS
a series of extensions found in the middle layer of the meninges (arachnoid mater) and throughout the outer layer (dura…
ARACHNOID MATER
the middle of three membranous layers (meninges) that cover and protect the surface of the brain and spinal cord. The…
ARAGO PHENOMENON
refers to an impaired sensitivity to light that exists in the center of the visual field when light conditions are…
ARBITRARY INFERENCE
a cognitive error whereby a person draws a conclusion that is either unrelated to or contradicted by the evidence at…
ARBITRARY MATCHING TO SAMPLE
a variation of a matching to sample task in which the correct alternative during the choice phase represents an arbitrary…
ARBITRARY SYMBOL
a linguistic sign, for example, a verbally spoken word, that bears no obvious resemblance to the thing or concept signified.…
ARBITRATION
a method commonly used for settling controversies. Both parties involved present their arguments and supporting information to an impartial agent,…
ARBORIZATION
n. a branching, treelike structure, as most commonly seen in the dendrites of a neuron.
ARCHAIC INHERITANCE
refers to the presumed phylogenetic influences inherent in the development of the individual
ARCHAIC THOUGHT
a specific type of concrete thinking, whereby abstract concepts are characterized by the types of actions they inspire.
ARCHICORTEX
refers to the cerebral cortex, which has been found to have three distinct layers. See also allocortex.
ARCHIMEDES SPIRAL
a simple spiral, formed by a curve whose tangent is maintained at a constant angle, for example, a slinky toy…
ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRAINTS
limitations dictated by the architectural structure of the brain. This limits the type of information that may processed by the…
ARCHITECTURAL DETERMINISM
the unfounded belief that the environment dictates behavior or directly causes specific behaviors to occur or not to occur. More…