attachment theory

a theory that (a) postulates an evolutionarily advantageous need, especially in primates, to form close emotional bonds with significant others: specifically, a need for the young to maintain close proximity to and form bonds with their caregivers; and (b) characterizes the different types of relationships between human infants and caregivers. These relationships have been shown to affect the individual’s later emotional development and emotional stability. See also insecure attachment; secure attachment; Strange Situation. [originally developed by John Bowlby and later expanded by Mary D. Salter Ainsworth]

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Psychology term of the day

September 1st 2024

transfer function model

1. a model used in functional magnetic resonance imaging to describe the shape of responses. A neuron receives a number of inputs, each of which comes via a connection that has a strength or weight; these weights correspond to the synaptic efficacy of the neuron. Each neuron also has a single threshold value. Activation of the neuron is determined by the weighted sum of the inputs minus the threshold. The activation signal is passed through a transfer function to produce the output of the neuron.

2. in time-series analysis, a type of model used to forecast a time series that is influenced by present and past values of other time series.