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biochemical approach

1. the study of behavioral patterns, including mental disorders, from the standpoint of chemical changes. An example of this approach is the view that a mental disorder can be explained in terms of an excess or deficiency of certain substances in the nervous system, such as serotonin.

2. the use of psychotropic drugs in the treatment of mental disorders. See psychopharmacotherapy.

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Psychology term of the day

January 13th 2025

discontinuity hypothesis

discontinuity hypothesis

in Gestalt psychology, the viewpoint that emphasizes the role of sudden insight and perceptual reorganization in successful discrimination learning and problem solving. According to this view, a correct answer is only recognized when its relation to the issue as a whole is discovered. Also called discontinuity theory. Compare continuity hypothesis. See also aha experience; all-or-none learning; eureka task.