ATTENTIONAL BLINK
refers to an impairment in the ability to detect a probe (e.g., the letter X) in a rapidly presented stream…
ATTENUATION THEORY
a part of the filter theory of attention, which proposes that unattended messages are attenuated (i.e., processed weakly) but not…
ATTRACTION
n. 1. in social psychology, the natural feeling of being drawn to other individuals and desiring their company. This is…
ATYPICAL ANTIPSYCHOTICS
a newer class of antipsychotic drugs that produce fewer extra pyramidal effects compared to the original typical version. They are…
ATYPICAL, MIXED, OR OTHER PERSONALITY DISORDER
in DSM-IV-TR, a category of personality disorders for which there is insufficient evidence for a more specific designation - that…
AUDIOTACTILE DEVICE
an assistive technology device consisting of a touch-sensitive pad and a speech synthesizer. Ultimately, the device generates a voice output…
AUDITORY EVOKED POTENTIAL
a naturally produced electrical response to sound in the body. There are many types of auditory evoked potentials, but each…
AUTHORITY COMPLEX
a pattern of emotionally charged concepts of authority in an individual that are partially or completely repressed. To satisfy an…
AUTOCLITIC
n. a single unit of verbal behavior (a verbal operant) that depends on other verbal behavior, and changes the effect…
AUTOKINETIC EFFECT
the visual illusion that a static spot of light is moving in a dark room. The has been utilized in…
AUTOMATIC REINFORCER
a natural physical or sensory consequence of a response that serves to positively reinforce the response.
AUTONOETIC
describes a level of knowledge or memory in which one is aware of the remembered thing, as well as of…
AUTONOMOUS ACTIVITY
in general systems theory, processes or behaviors that occur completely spontaneously, in the absence of external eliciting stimuli.
AUTORECEPTOR
n. refers to a receptor molecule for a neurotransmitter located in the presynaptic membrane of a neuron. Autoreceptors
AUTOSUGGESTION
n. refers to the process of making positive suggestions to oneself for the purposes of improving morale, inducing relaxation, or…
AVERSION REACTION
a reaction or response expressed by the avoidance or distress evoked by a distasteful, threatening, or otherwise objectionable stimulus.
AVOIDANT ATTACHMENT
in Mary Ainsworth's strange situation, this refers to a form of insecure attachment whereby infants do not seek proximity to…
AXON HILLOCK
refers to the cone-shaped part of a neuron cell body from which the axon originates. Depolarization must reach a critical…