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AROMACHOLOGY

the field of scientific study that attempts to specify and therefore explain the relationships between psychology and fragrance technology. The

AROUSAL-BOOST MECHANISM

any stimulus pattern produced by contact with a stimulus that gives rise to a measurable pleasant (pleasure) effect. The arousal

ARTERIOPATHIA HYPERTONICA

a form of arterial degeneration that is often associated with hypertension. The muscle and elastic tissue of the walls of

ARTICULATORY STORE

a component of short-term memory that retains only auditory information. This is based on the motor systems involved in pronouncing

ASAPHOLALIA

a condition characterized by mumbled or indistinct speech.

ASPARTATE

n. one example of an amino acid neurotransmitter that is excitatory at many synapses,

ASSESSMENT

1. in general, refers to the judgment of the quality, worth, importance, or value of something or someone. 2. may

ASSOCIATION CORTEX

one of many areas of the cerebral cortex that are not principally involved in sensory or motor representations. However, these

ASSOCIATIVE LAW

any of the principles referring to how associations are acquired and strengthened. These terms were originally derived from British empiricist

ASTERIXIS

n. transient loss of a solid position for the hands or arms, followed by a jerking recovery movement. This phenomenon

ASYLUM

n. originally, these structures were designed as a refuge for criminals (from Greek asylon, sanctuary). From the 19th century onwards,

ATAVISM

n. 1. the presence of a genetic trait noted in a remote ancestor that did not continue to occur in

ATHYMIA

n. 1. the complete absence of feeling or emotion. 2. May also refer to the congenital absence of the thymus.

ATTACHMENT THEORY

a theory that (a) suggests an evolutionarily advantage, especially in primates, for the forming of close emotional bonds with significant

ATTENTION SPAN

1. the length of time an individual can sustain attention to one task. 2. the amount of material retained during

ATTENUATION

1. the lessening or weakening in strength, value, or quality of a stimulus or other factor, for example, a medication

ATYPICAL

differing from the norm in some manner - being unusual, unrepresentative, or uncharacteristic in some way.

ATYPICAL TIC DISORDER

in the DSM-lll, this represented a category of tic disorders. In the DSM-IV-TR these are labeled as tic disorders not

AUDIOMETRY

the measurement of an individual's hearing ability with electronic audiometers for the purposes of diagnosing and analyzing hearing loss. Audiometry