Terms Starting with "U"

260 terms

U fiber

U fiber a nerve fiber that loops through the white matter beneath the cerebral cortex to connect one cortical area to another. U fibers provide the fastest route for cortical transmission of impulses; the alternative intracortical pathway is composed of very fine fibers with slow transmission rates.

U test

U test see Mann–Whitney U test.

U-shaped distribution

U-shaped distribution a graphical representation of a frequency distribution that is shaped more or less like the letter U, with the maximum frequencies at both ends of the range of the variable. For example, the number of people infected by the flu each year may have a U-shaped distribution by age, with those who are very young or very old having the highest frequency of occurrence. In an inverted U-shaped distribution, the most frequent values are in the middle of the distribution and the least frequent values are at the extremes.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

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U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

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U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

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UCLA Loneliness Scale

UCLA Loneliness Scale a 20-item self-report measure developed at the University of California, Los Angeles, to assess subjective feelings of loneliness or social isolation. It consists of descriptive statements of feelings of loneliness and nonloneliness, rated on a scale of 1 (never), 2 (rarely), 3 (sometimes), and 4 (often). The range of possible scores is 20 to 80, with higher scores signifying greater loneliness. [developed in the 1980s by U.S. psychologists Daniel Russell, Letitia A. Peplau, and Carolyn E. Cutrona]

UCR

UCR abbreviation for unconditioned response.

UCR fees

UCR fees abbreviation for usual, customary, and reasonable fees. See customary, prevailing, and reasonable fees.

Ucs

Ucs abbreviation for unconscious. UCS abbreviation for unconditioned stimulus.

UCS

Ucs abbreviation for unconscious. UCS abbreviation for unconditioned stimulus.

UG

UG abbreviation for universal grammar.

ulcer

ulcer n. an erosion of a tissue surface, such as the mucosal lining of the digestive tract. Peptic ulcers, which affect the stomach and duodenum, are associated with increased secretion of hydrochloric acid and pepsin, a digestive enzyme, or increased susceptibility of the lining of the stomach and duodenum to the effects of these substances (see gastroduodenal ulceration). See also dyspepsia.

Ullrich–Noonan syndrome

Ullrich–Noonan syndrome see Noonan syndrome. [Otto Ullrich (1894–1957), German pediatrician; Jacqueline Noonan (1928– ), U.S. pediatrician]

ulnar nerve

ulnar nerve the sensory and motor nerve that innervates the lateral (outer) side of the forearm and hand. Its fibers are derived from the eighth cervical and first thoracic spinal roots, and they pass through the medial section of the brachial plexus.

ultimate attribution error

ultimate attribution error the tendency for persons from one group (the ingroup) to determine that any bad acts by members of an outgroup—for example, a racial or ethnic minority group—are caused by internal attributes or traits rather than by outside circumstances or situations, while viewing their positive behaviors as merely exceptions to the rule or the result of luck. Conversely, ingroup members will overestimate the effects of their own perceived internal attributes—for example, intelligence—and underplay situational forces when evaluating their successes, and they will place more emphasis on external factors when explaining their failures or faults. See also fundamental attribution error; group-serving bias. [first described in 1979 by U.S. psychologist Thomas F. Pettigrew]

ultimate cause

ultimate cause see remote cause.

ultimate explanation

ultimate explanation an account or explanation for a particular behavior in terms of its adaptive value. Compare proximate explanation.

ultimate opinion testimony

ultimate opinion testimony opinion testimony by an expert witness that directly informs the court about the issue in dispute. For example, an expert witness who testifies that the defendant is insane is giving ultimate opinion testimony.

ultimatum game

ultimatum game an experimental game in which one player (the proposer) makes an offer to another player (the responder) concerning a sum of money that the two must apportion between them, and the responder must then either accept or reject this offer. If the offer is accepted, the money is split as proposed. If the offer is rejected, neither player receives anything. Both players are fully aware of the rules and consequences of the game, which is usually played with real money provided by the experimenter. The ultimatum game is often used in studies of fairness, bargaining, and rational decision making, which typically find that if the responder deems the offer to be unfair (e.g., less than 25% of the total), he or she will reject it rather than accept anything at all. [developed in 1982 by German economists Werner Güth (1944– ), Rolf Schmittberger, and Bernd Schwarze]

Ultiva

Ultiva n. a trade name for remifentanil. See fentanyl.

ultradian rhythm

ultradian rhythm any periodic variation in physiological or psychological function (see biological rhythm) recurring in a cycle of more than 24 hours, such as the human menstrual cycle. Compare circadian rhythm; infradian rhythm.

ultrasonic communication

ultrasonic communication among some nonhuman animals, the use of sound frequencies above the range of human hearing (i.e., above 20 kHz) for communication. Ultrasonic communication is commonly used by bats and dolphins, in which echolocation is important for navigation or finding prey. High-frequency signals do not travel very far, but, because of their short wavelength, they can provide excellent information about the location of prey and other objects in the environment. Compare infrasonic communication.

ultrasonic irradiation

ultrasonic irradiation a form of psychosurgery in which sound waves of a frequency of 1000 kHz are directed through trephine openings in the skull for up to 14 minutes. It is an alternative to prefrontal lobotomy (see lobotomy) and is rarely used now.

ultrasound

ultrasound n. sound whose frequency exceeds the human audibility range, often used to measure and record structures and structural change within the body in the imaging technique called ultrasonography (or sonography). Echoes from ultrasound waves reflected from tissue surfaces are recorded to form structural images for diagnostic purposes, such as to examine a growing fetus during pregnancy or to examine internal organs, such as the heart, liver, kidneys, and gallbladder, for signs of health or disease. Compare infrasound.

ultraviolet (UV)

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ululation

ululation n. a shrill lament or wailing associated with emotional expression and ritual behavior in various cultures.

umami

umami adj. denoting the taste of foods rich in protein (e.g., meats, fish, some vegetables, cheeses), as represented by the taste of monosodium glutamate, which is used primarily to enhance other flavors. Umami is sometimes described as “savory” and is widely considered to be a primary taste quality, joining sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. [Japanese, “delicious”]

umbilical cord

umbilical cord a cordlike structure containing two arteries and a vein in a cylindrical membrane that connects the fetus to the placenta during pregnancy.

UMP test

UMP test abbreviation for uniformly most powerful test.

Umweg problem

Umweg problem see detour problem.

Umwelt

Umwelt n. in the thought of German philosopher Martin Heidegger (1889–1976), that aspect of Dasein (being-in-the-world) that is constituted by a person’s engagement with the world immediately around him or her. The term was introduced into the vocabulary of psychology chiefly through the work of Swiss existential psychologist Ludwig Binswanger (1881–1966). Compare Eigenwelt; Mitwelt. [German, literally: “around world”]

unaspirated sound

unaspirated sound see aspiration.

unattended input

unattended input any stimulus that is not a focus of attention. In dual-task performance tests, it is the flow of information that participants do not intend to monitor and of which they are not explicitly aware. See also dual-task competition.

unbalanced bilingual

unbalanced bilingual a person who speaks two languages but is more proficient in one than in the other. Compare balanced bilingual.

unbalanced design

unbalanced design an experimental design having multiple independent variables in which the number of measurements or observations obtained is different for each condition under study. Although balanced designs generally are preferred for their greater power in statistical analyses, unbalanced designs nonetheless may arise due to participant attrition or other unavoidable factors. For example, if a researcher is investigating how sleep and diet influence academic performance and only 35 of the 40 college undergraduates recruited to participate were able to do so through the full term of the project, certain data will be missing for the five people who left the study prematurely and the design will become unbalanced.

unbiased

unbiased adj. impartial or without net error. For example, in unbiased procedures, studies, and the like, any errors that do occur are random and therefore self-canceling in the long run.

unbiased estimator

unbiased estimator a quantity calculated from sample data whose value is representative of the true quantity in the larger population. In other words, when data from samples are used to make inferences about unknown quantities (parameters) in populations, an unbiased estimator is one that over repeated sampling has an average equal to the true value of the parameter in the population. For example, an unbiased estimator of variance provides an accurate index of the variability of measurements for a given phenomenon in a given population of interest based on calculations made from the sample variance. Compare biased estimator.

unbiased sampling

unbiased sampling selecting individuals for a study using a process that yields a group exemplifying the larger population from which it derives. In practice, no strategy produces a completely unbiased sample but random sampling yields a good approximation, as it introduces the minimum possible amount of error in representing the population. Compare biased sampling.

uncal herniation

uncal herniation see transtentorial herniation.

uncertainty

uncertainty n. 1. the state or condition in which something (e.g., the probability of a particular outcome) is not accurately or precisely known. 2. lack of confidence or clarity in one’s ideas, decisions, or intentions. See also uncertainty principle. —uncertain adj.

uncertainty analysis

uncertainty analysis in an experiment or study, an analysis used to assess the accuracy of measurements and model predictions, taking into account such possible sources of error as instrumentation, methodology, and the presence of confounds.

uncertainty avoidance

uncertainty avoidance 1. the tendency of a culture to adhere to what is already known, thought, or believed. It contrasts with uncertainty orientation, which is the tendency to seek out new information and ideas and to enjoy exploring and mastering uncertainty. 2. an intolerance of ambiguity or uncertainty and a psychological need for formal rules. See also cognitive style; need for closure. [defined by Dutch cultural psychologist Geert Hofstede (1928– )]

uncertainty factor

uncertainty factor in psychological aesthetics, a dimension of artistic style that is associated with high positive ratings on simple–complex and clear–indefinite scales and high negative ratings on a disorderly–orderly scale.

uncertainty orientation

uncertainty orientation see uncertainty avoidance.

uncertainty principle

uncertainty principle the principle, introduced by German physicist Werner Heisenberg (1901–1976), that it is impossible to measure accurately both the position and the momentum of a particle at a specific moment in time. It arises from the fact that the act of measurement will itself interfere with the system being measured in unpredictable ways. The same principle applies to other paired variables, such as energy and time. The uncertainty principle has implications for philosophy, in that it appears to undermine the laws of cause and effect. Also called Heisenberg principle; indeterminacy principle.

uncertainty reduction theory (URT)

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uncertainty-arousal factor

uncertainty-arousal factor in psychological aesthetics, a response to a work of art that reflects autonomic reactions in the viewer, as opposed to cortical arousal. The factor includes simple–complex, clear–indefinite, and disorderly–orderly components, which are said to reflect subjective uncertainty. Compare cortical-arousal factor.

uncinate fasciculus

uncinate fasciculus a bundle of nerve fibers that connects the anterior and inferior portions of the frontal lobe of each cerebral hemisphere in the brain. It forms a compact bundle as the fasciculus bends around the lateral sulcus and spreads into a fan shape at either end. Research suggests that it has a role in remembering proper names.

unconditional positive regard

unconditional positive regard an attitude of caring, acceptance, and prizing that others express toward an individual irrespective of his or her behavior and without regard to the others’ personal standards. Unconditional positive regard is considered conducive to the individual’s self-awareness, self-worth, and personality growth; it is, according to Carl Rogers, a universal human need essential to healthy development. The concept is the centerpiece of Rogers’s client-centered therapy and is also emphasized in many other therapeutic approaches. Compare conditional positive regard.

unconditioned reflex

unconditioned reflex see unconditioned response.

unconditioned reinforcement

unconditioned reinforcement see primary reinforcement.

unconditioned reinforcer

unconditioned reinforcer see natural reinforcer; primary reinforcement.

unconditioned response (UCR; UR)

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unconditioned stimulus (UCS; US)

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unconditioned stimulus devaluation (US devaluation)

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unconditioned stimulus preexposure effect (US preexposure effect)

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unconscious (Ucs)

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unconscious cognition

unconscious cognition cognitive processes, such as thinking, memory processing, and linguistic processing, that are not ordinarily reportable. See cognitive unconscious.

unconscious context

unconscious context processes and structures that shape awareness without themselves being explicitly conscious; for example, beliefs or memories that are taken for granted.

unconscious homosexuality

unconscious homosexuality see latent homosexuality.

unconscious inference theory

unconscious inference theory the hypothesis that perception is indirectly influenced by inferences about current sensory input that make use of the perceiver’s knowledge of the world and prior experience with similar input. For example, consider two trees of the same height but different distances from the perceiver. The images of the trees that appear on the retina are of different sizes, but the knowledge that one tree is farther away than the other leads the perceiver to infer, without conscious effort, that in actuality the two trees are the same size. [proposed by Hermann von Helmholtz]

unconscious intention

unconscious intention a goal that one has not explicitly chosen to pursue or a motivational structure of which one is unaware but that nonetheless influences one’s thought and behavior. Compare conscious intention.

unconscious knowledge

unconscious knowledge see tacit knowledge.

unconscious learning

unconscious learning the acquisition of tacit knowledge. See implicit learning.

unconscious motivation

unconscious motivation in psychoanalytic theory, wishes, impulses, aims, and drives of which the self is not aware. Examples of behavior produced by unconscious motivation are purposive accidents, slips of the tongue, and dreams that express unfulfilled wishes. See also parapraxis; phantasy.

unconscious perception

unconscious perception perception of a stimulus that is below the level of explicit awareness. See subliminal perception. See also preattentive processing.

unconscious plagiarism

unconscious plagiarism see cryptomnesia.

unconscious process

unconscious process 1. in psychoanalytic theory, a psychical process that takes place in the unconscious; for example, repression. 2. in cognitive psychology, a mental process that occurs without a person being explicitly aware of it and largely outside of conscious control. Also called subliminal process. Compare conscious process. See also preattentive processing.

unconscious resistance

unconscious resistance in psychoanalytic theory, resistance proper, as opposed to conscious resistance.

unconscious transfer

unconscious transfer a memory distortion that results from confusing the source of the information recalled (see source confusion). In legal contexts, for example, a witness may mistakenly recognize an individual in a lineup as the perpetrator, when in fact the individual’s face is familiar because it was earlier presented in a photograph. Also called unconscious transference.

uncontrollable turnover

uncontrollable turnover see turnover.

uncontrolled variable

uncontrolled variable a characteristic factor that is not regulated or measured by the investigator during an experiment or study, so that it is not the same for all participants in the research. For example, if the investigator collects data on participants with varying levels of education, then education is an uncontrolled variable. If the investigator, however, were to collect data only on participants with college degrees, then education would be identical for all individuals and thus serve as a control variable.

unconventional therapy

unconventional therapy treatment that may be unique, controversial, or both, in that it is not traditionally accepted by the health care professions. See complementary and alternative medicine.

uncovering

uncovering n. in psychotherapy, the process of peeling away an individual’s defenses and passing beyond a focus on symptoms to get to the underlying roots of a problem. Uncovering techniques are used particularly in psychoanalysis and other psychodynamic or depth therapies.

uncriticalness

uncriticalness n. a nonjudgmental attitude on the part of the therapist, which is considered essential in Carl Rogers’s nondirective approach (see client-centered therapy) as well as in other forms of psychotherapy. Criticism is held to inhibit clients’ efforts to recognize and revise their self-defeating patterns of thought and behavior.

uncrossed disparity

uncrossed disparity the binocular disparity produced by images that lie beyond the horopter in visual space. Uncrossed disparity causes the images on both retinas to move nasally relative to the location of images of objects on the horopter, whereas crossed disparity does the opposite. Objects closer than the horopter will move temporally on both retinas, compared to objects on the horopter. See also depth cue.

uncued panic attack

uncued panic attack a panic attack that occurs unexpectedly rather than being brought on by a specific situation or trigger. It is therefore perceived to have occurred spontaneously. Also called unexpected panic attack. Compare cued panic attack; situationally predisposed panic attack.

uncus

uncus n. a hook-shaped part of the rhinal sulcus (cleft) of the hippocampal formation in the rhinencephalon. The lateral olfactory tract makes connections with the uncus.

underachiever

underachiever n. a person who consistently achieves below his or her demonstrated capacity. Underachievement may be specific to an area of study or work, or it may be general. It is more prevalent among boys than girls and is quite common in bright and even gifted children. It is also prevalent among average students and children with special needs. Compare overachiever.

underage

underage adj. see overage.

underclass

underclass n. 1. a social class existing beneath the usual socioeconomic scale, often concentrated in the inner cities and usually characterized by poverty, inadequate educational or vocational opportunities, high unemployment or chronic underemployment, violent crime, substance abuse, poor social services, and few community-supporting institutions. 2. broadly, any group without equal or direct access to the economic, educational, legal, medical, or other provisions of a society. For example, the term genetic underclass has been used to identify those who are classified as susceptible to a particular disease following genetic testing and who may as a result encounter discrimination by insurance companies or employers.

underconfidence

underconfidence n. a cognitive bias characterized by an underestimation of one’s ability to perform a task successfully or by an underrating of one’s performance relative to that of others. Compare overconfidence.

underconfidence-with-practice effect

underconfidence-with-practice effect in investigations of judgments of learning, the finding that after showing slight overconfidence at a learning task on first exposure (e.g., studying a list of paired associates) participants markedly underestimate their memory performance of the same task during subsequent tries. [identified by Israeli cognitive psychologists Asher Koriat, Limor Sheffer, and Hilit Ma’ayan]

underdog

underdog n. the rationalizations and self-justifications employed by an individual to allay the sense of guilt or shame arising from an inability to meet the demands of internal moral standards or other rules of conduct (the topdog). [first described by German-born U.S. psychiatrist Frederick (Fritz) S. Perls (1893–1970)]

underextension

underextension n. the incorrect restriction of the use of a word, which is a mistake commonly made by young children acquiring language. For example, a child may believe that the label dog applies only to Fido, the family pet. Compare overextension.

underidentification

underidentification n. a situation, such as may occur during structural equation modeling, in which it is not possible to estimate all of the model’s parameters on the basis of the sample data being analyzed. Compare overidentification.

underintensity

underintensity n. a state in which one or all of the following are below the optimal level: arousal, commitment, effort, assertiveness, and attentional focus.

underload

underload n. the situation in which a low level of task demand creates distress in forms such as boredom and fatigue. Compare overload.

underlying distribution

underlying distribution the theoretical distribution for a given population of interest.

undermatching

undermatching see matching law.

underpayment inequity

underpayment inequity in industrial and organizational settings, an employee’s perception that he or she is being paid less than is fair, especially in comparison to coworkers. This can lead to dissatisfaction and tension and, in some cases, to lowered productivity. Compare overpayment inequity. See equity theory.

undershoot

undershoot n. the portion of an action potential that represents the stage when the membrane potential is transiently hyperpolarized relative to the resting potential. Compare overshoot.

understaffing

understaffing n. the condition in which the number of people available for a program or function falls below that required to maintain it. Compare overstaffing. —understaffed adj.

understanding

understanding n. 1. the process of gaining insight about oneself or others or of comprehending the meaning or significance of something, such as a word, concept, argument, or event. See also apprehension; comprehension. 2. in counseling and psychotherapy, the process of discerning the connections between a client’s behavior and his or her environment, history, aptitudes, motivation, ideas, feelings, relationships, and modes of expression. 3. in some philosophical writings, the faculty of organizing and interpreting the information acquired from the senses, as opposed to the nous or higher reason. See also dianoia. —understand vb.

undescended testicle

undescended testicle see cryptorchidism.

undifferentiated schizophrenia

undifferentiated schizophrenia in DSM–IV–TR, a subtype of schizophrenia in which the individual exhibits prominent psychotic features, such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, or grossly disorganized behavior, but does not meet the criteria for any of the other subtypes of the disorder. This subtype has been eliminated from DSM–5.

undifferentiated somatoform disorder

undifferentiated somatoform disorder in DSM–IV–TR, a somatoform disorder in which one or more physical complaints persist for 6 months or longer and cannot be explained by a known medical condition. Unlike factitious disorder or malingering, these symptoms are not intentionally feigned or produced. This disorder has been eliminated from DSM–5.

undue hardship

undue hardship a circumstance under which an employer may refuse an employee’s request for reasonable accommodations under the Americans With Disabilities Act. Undue hardship includes accommodations that cause excessive financial burden to the business, compromise workplace safety, significantly decrease workplace efficiency, infringe on the rights of other employees, or require other employees to bear more than their share of potentially hazardous or burdensome work.

undulatio reflexa

undulatio reflexa reflexive action (Latin): the term used by René Descartes to explain bodily movements that are not under volitional control but instead occur as a response to the surrounding environment. The concept arose from Descartes’s notion of the body as a machine that is wholly distinct from the mind (see Cartesian dualism). It served as a basis for later psychological theories that took the reflex arc as the basic unit, as well as the basic model, of behavior.

unexpected panic attack

unexpected panic attack see uncued panic attack.

unexplained variance

unexplained variance see error variance.

unfair labor practices

unfair labor practices practices by a labor union or employer that are defined as unfair according to the Labor Management Relations Act and subsequent amendments. These include the enforcement of closed shops and the use of secondary boycotts and secondary picketing to further a labor dispute.

unfalsifiable

unfalsifiable adj. denoting the quality of a proposition, hypothesis, or theory such that no empirical test can establish that it is false. For Austrian-born British philosopher Karl Popper (1902–1994), a theory or hypothesis that is unfalsifiable is to be judged nonscientific. See falsifiability; falsificationism; risky prediction.

unfinished business

unfinished business in therapy and counseling, the personal experiences that have been blocked or tasks that have been avoided because of feared emotional or interpersonal effects. Many therapists believe that people have an urge to complete unfinished business in order to achieve satisfaction and peace. Those working with the dying and their families believe that dealing with unfinished business is an important aspect of the dying and grieving processes.

unfinished story

unfinished story a projective technique in which participants are required to complete a story by role play, discussion, or writing. It is intended to reveal information about the participants’ concerns.

unfitness

unfitness n. 1. the state or condition of lacking physical or mental fitness or health. 2. in biology, the inability of an organism to produce viable offspring in a given environment. Compare fitness.

unfolding

unfolding n. a unidimensional scaling procedure in which respondents evaluate a set of items and their choices are used to construct a continuum along which their relative preferences are placed. For example, consider a scale measuring attitudes toward marijuana sales. A person who wholeheartedly favors the item “The city should legalize the sale of marijuana” would be located at a different point along the continuum from a person who completely opposes the sale of marijuana, and a person who endorses the item to some extent would be located at yet another point along the continuum.

unidimensionality

unidimensionality n. the quality of measuring a single construct, trait, or other attribute. For example, a unidimensional personality scale, attitude scale, or other scale would contain items related only to the respective concept of interest. Compare multidimensionality. See also bipolarity. —unidimensional adj.

unified positivism

unified positivism an approach to the problem of the fragmentation of psychology that seeks to unify the field by emphasizing scientific work that integrates disparate findings and thus draws theories and models together. It derives its inspiration from one of the basic assumptions of logical positivism: that all science could be united, on the model of physics, through a strict empiricist approach. See also unity of science. [introduced by U.S. psychologist Arthur Staats (1924– )]

unified theory of cognition

unified theory of cognition any theory that attempts to provide a single architecture for explaining all cognitive activity, whether in human or nonhuman animals or in artificial intelligence. An example is the Soar model, proposed by U.S. cognitive and computer scientist Allen Newell (1927–1992).

Unified Tri-Service Cognitive Performance Assessment Battery (UTCPAB)

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Uniform Crime Reports

Uniform Crime Reports a nationwide database of reported crimes that contains information from all local and state law enforcement agencies within the United States. Its purpose is to set a consistent and reliable measure of criminal activity.

uniform distribution

uniform distribution a theoretical continuous distribution in which the probability of occurrence is the same for all values of x, represented by f(x) = 1/(b – a), where a is the lower limit of the distribution and b is its upper limit. For example, if a fair die is thrown, the probability of obtaining any one of the six possible outcomes is 1/6. Since all outcomes are equally probable, the distribution is uniform. If a uniform distribution is divided into equally spaced intervals, there will be an equal number of members of the population in each interval. Also called rectangular distribution.

Uniform Guidelines for Employee Selection Procedures

Uniform Guidelines for Employee Selection Procedures a formal set of guidelines developed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that provide employers with advice on how they can comply with civil rights legislation in the hiring of employees. See four-fifths rule.

uniformly most powerful test (UMP test)

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unilateral

unilateral adj. denoting or relating to one side (e.g., of the body or an organ) or to one of two or more parties. —unilaterally adv.

unilateral couple counseling

unilateral couple counseling the counseling of one partner on his or her relationship to the other. Even when only one partner participates in counseling, the focus is on the partners’ relationship. See also couples counseling.

unilateral descent

unilateral descent in anthropology, a system of descent or inheritance in which descent is traced through the male line only (patriarchy) or through the female line only (matriarchy). Also called unilineal descent. Compare bilateral descent. See also descent group.

unilateral lesion

unilateral lesion a lesion on one side or lobe of an organ or part. For example, a unilateral cerebral lesion involves one cerebral hemisphere, left or right, with effects that may vary according to the dominance of the hemisphere and the function affected. The motor and sensory effects of the lesion are generally on the contralateral side—that is, on the side opposite to that of the lesion—unless the lesion occurs in the cerebellum.

unilateral neglect

unilateral neglect a disorder resulting from damage to the parietal lobe of the brain and characterized by a loss of conscious perception of objects or stimuli on the side of the body (usually the left half) that is opposite the location of the lesion. For example, if approached from the left side, an individual with unilateral neglect may not notice the approaching person, but would respond normally when approached from the right side. The disorder may be accompanied by alien limb syndrome and other striking neuropsychological features. Also called hemineglect; hemispatial neglect; spatial neglect. See also motor neglect; sensory neglect; visual neglect.

unilineal descent

unilineal descent see unilateral descent.

unimodal distribution

unimodal distribution a set of scores with a single peak, or mode, around which values tend to fluctuate, such that the frequencies at first increase and then decrease. See also bimodal distribution; multimodal distribution.

unimodel of persuasion

unimodel of persuasion a model that postulates a single process underlying attitude formation and change in which all information relevant to the persuasion context is processed as evidence using if–then syllogistic reasoning. According to the model, the processing of such information can vary in the extent to which it occurs in an effortful versus noneffortful manner. See also elaboration-likelihood model; heuristic-systematic model. [proposed by the U.S. psychologist Arie W. Kruglanski (1939– )]

uniocular

uniocular adj. see monocular.

union

union n. an organization that represents employees in dealings with their employer. The union is responsible for negotiating contracts with employers that determine employees’ compensation and conditions of employment and for seeing that the terms of these contractual agreements are fulfilled. Also called labor union; trade union. See collective bargaining.

union shop

union shop a work arrangement in which it is a condition of employment that new employees who are not union members join the union within a certain time after being hired. See also agency shop; closed shop; open shop.

uniparous

uniparous adj. see primiparous.

unipolar disorder

unipolar disorder persistent or pervasive depression that does not involve a manic episode, a hypomanic episode, or a mixed episode. As such, it contrasts with bipolar disorder. The term is sometimes used synonymously with major depressive disorder. Also called unipolar depression.

unipolar mania

unipolar mania a disorder in which only excitement, overactivity, and similar euphoric symptoms are seen. This is a rare condition, as such manic episodes tend eventually to be followed by one or more major depressive episodes.

unipolar neuron

unipolar neuron a neuron that has only a single extension of the cell body. This extension divides into two branches, oriented in opposite directions and representing the axon. One end is the receptive pole, and the other is the output zone. Unipolar neurons transmit touch information from the body surface to the spinal cord. Also called monopolar neuron. Compare bipolar neuron; multipolar neuron.

unipolar rating scale

unipolar rating scale a type of instrument that prompts a respondent to evaluate the degree to which a single quality or attribute is present. For example, consider a scale with the following anchors or benchmarks: (1) not at all satisfied, (2) slightly satisfied, (3) moderately satisfied, (4) very satisfied, and (5) completely satisfied. Because there is no anchor that represents the opposing quality of dissatisfaction, the scale has one pole. Also called unipolar scale. Compare bipolar rating scale.

unipolar stimulation

unipolar stimulation electrical stimulation in which one electrode is placed on or in the tissue and the other is outside the tissue.

unique hue

unique hue see binary hue.

unique trait

unique trait see idiographic.

uniqueness

uniqueness n. in factor analysis, that part of the variance of a variable that it does not share with any other variable in the system. It is given as 1 – hj2, where hj2 is the communality of the jth variable. Each of the observed variables in the data set being analyzed can be expressed as a combination of a common factor shared among all variables plus a unique factor associated with a measurement error or another specific, individual source of variation.

Unit Manning System

Unit Manning System a U.S. Army personnel program promoted in the 1980s to stabilize selected light-infantry division troops in cohort units. It was designed to build unit cohesion, reduce personnel turbulence, and enhance readiness and performance.

unit normal distribution

unit normal distribution see standardized distribution.

unit normal variable

unit normal variable see standard normal variable.

unit of analysis

unit of analysis in research, the group of people, things, or entities that is being investigated or studied. For example, in organizational contexts, data can be collected from employees, who in turn are part of departments, which in turn are part of the larger organization, which may have multiple sites in several countries. The unit of analysis chosen influences the methodological and analytical procedures used. For example studying groups within organizations may require a hierarchically nested design. Also called analysis unit.

unit schedule

unit schedule see second-order schedule.

unitary-resource model

unitary-resource model a model that views attention as a single pool of undifferentiated resources that can be devoted to a variety of processes. Tasks place demands on the general pool, rather than on particular resources. The extent to which the total resources are taxed by a primary task will determine the performance decrement on other tasks carried out at the same time; when the demand on resources exceeds the supply, allocation strategies become important. Also called single-capacity model. Compare multiple-resource model.

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons a 1971 declaration by the United Nations affirming the human rights of people with intellectual disabilities. These issues were largely subsumed under the 1993 Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. See rights of people with mental disabilities.

unity

unity n. in statistics, a synonym for the value of 1. Statisticians often state that the statistic or value they are working with “approaches unity,” which means it approaches the value of 1.

unity in variety

unity in variety the concept that a stimulus with maximal unity and maximal variety is preferred.

unity of command

unity of command a principle of management stating that each employee should have to report to one and only one immediate boss. See line management. Compare matrix organization. [proposed by French engineer Henri Fayol (1841–1925) and other classical management theorists]

unity of consciousness

unity of consciousness the concept that at any given moment the contents of consciousness are experienced as a single integrated state, even though they will consist of a multiplicity of perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and so forth. For example, a person may be looking out the window while at the same time listening to jazz, eating chocolate, experiencing a mild pain in the knee, and remembering an earlier conversation, yet these phenomena will be experienced as unified with one another in a single moment of consciousness. See also coconsciousness; divided consciousness.

unity of science

unity of science the view that the principles of any and all sciences can be derived from or reduced to the laws of physics. See consilience; unified positivism.

univariate

univariate adj. characterized by a single variable. For example, a researcher may collect univariate data by recording how many hours a day students in a particular course spend outside of class on completing their homework. Compare bivariate; multivariate.

univariate analysis

univariate analysis a statistical examination of data for only one variable of interest. For example, a univariate analysis of study habits for a sample of college students would examine habits across all individuals without taking into account whether a particular student was a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior. Also called univariate statistics. Compare multivariate analysis.

univariate distribution

univariate distribution a distribution of values on a single random variable according to their observed or expected frequency. If this is a normal distribution it is known as a univariate normal distribution. Compare multivariate distribution.

univariate research

univariate research research that employs only one dependent variable. Compare multivariate research.

universal

universal n. 1. in social psychology, see psychological universal. See also universals. 2. in linguistics, see language universal.

universal design

universal design a quality of a product or built environment conceived to make it optimally usable and comfortable for people of all ages and abilities. Universal design as a concept goes beyond mere accessibility and removal of barriers, in accordance with the mandates of laws such as the Americans With Disabilities Act, by emphasizing the inclusiveness of design to accommodate a wide range of physical and cognitive abilities. Also called transgenerational design. See also barrier-free environment. Compare design for adjustable range; design for the average.

universal grammar (UG)

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universalism

universalism n. the position that certain aspects of the human mind, human behavior, and human morality are universal and essential and are therefore to be found in all cultures and historical periods. Universalism is thus a form of essentialism and is opposed to relativism. —universalist adj.

universality

universality n. the condition of existing everywhere, often in a very similar or identical form. In psychology, universality is more specifically: 1. the tendency to assume that one’s personal qualities and characteristics, including attitudes and values, are common in the general social group or culture. 2. in mob and crowd settings, the tendency for individuals to assume that atypical, unusual behaviors are allowable because many others in the situation are performing such actions (“everybody’s doing it”). See collective behavior; social contagion; emergent-norm theory. 3. in self-help and psychotherapy groups, a curative factor fostered by members’ recognition that their problems and difficulties are not unique to them but instead are experienced by many of the group members. See also therapeutic factors.

universality of emotions

universality of emotions the finding that certain emotional expressions, appraisals, and manifestations are the same or highly similar across cultures and societies. Compare cultural specificity of emotions. See also primary emotion.

universalizability

universalizability n. in ethics, the principle that particular moral judgments always carry an implied universal judgment. So, for example, to say Daphne shouldn’t have lied to him implies the universal judgment that anybody in the identical situation to Daphne should not have lied. The principle of universalizability is related to that of the categorical imperative. —universalizable adj.

universals

universals pl. n. in philosophy, general qualities, such as blueness or courage, as opposed to the particulars that instantiate them. The status of universals and their relationship to particulars have been a matter of much debate in philosophy. See also abstract idea; psychological universal.

universe

universe n. in statistics, see population.

universe of discourse

universe of discourse 1. the total system of ideas, concepts, terms, and expressions within which a given topic can be analyzed and understood. The universe of discourse defines both what can be said about a subject and how it can be said. Statements that are meaningful within a particular universe of discourse may well be nonsensical within another; to say The sad skies are weeping, for example, might be permissible in poetry but would not be so in meteorology. The idea of universes of discourse has also been explored by radical thinkers in the traditions of Marxism, feminism, and poststructuralism; such critics argue that by controlling the universe of discourse in a particular society, the power elite controls what can and cannot be said or thought. 2. in the field of artificial intelligence, any set of objects that can be represented within a given domain.

University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT)

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unlearning

unlearning n. see deconditioning.

unmyelinated

unmyelinated adj. describing a nerve fiber that lacks a myelin sheath, such as a C fiber.

unnumbered graphic rating scale

unnumbered graphic rating scale see visual analogue scale.

unobtrusive measure

unobtrusive measure a measure obtained without disturbing the participant or alerting him or her that a measurement is being made. For example, a researcher may observe passersby in a public park from a nearby café and document their activities. The behavior or responses of such participants are thus assumed to be unaffected by the investigative process or the surrounding environment. Also called concealed measure; nonreactive measure. Compare reactive measure.

unplanned comparison

unplanned comparison see post hoc comparison.

unpleasantness

unpleasantness n. an emotional state that is experienced when an event is incongruent with one’s goals or is associated with pain. See also dimensional theory of emotion. —unpleasant adj.

unpleasure

unpleasure n. in classical psychoanalytic theory, the psychic pain, tension, and ego suffering that is consciously felt when instinctual needs and wishes, such as hunger and sex, are blocked by the ego and denied gratification. [translation of German Unlust, “reluctance” or “listlessness”]

unprepared learning

unprepared learning see preparedness.

unresolved

unresolved adj. 1. in psychotherapy, denoting emotional or psychic conflicts not yet sufficiently dealt with and assimilated or understood. See also unfinished business. 2. describing any stimulus whose characteristics cannot be determined by the perceiver.

unrestricted model

unrestricted model see full model.

unsaturated model

unsaturated model see saturated model.

unshared environment

unshared environment see nonshared environment.

unsociable

unsociable adj. lacking sociability because of a disinclination to interact and form relationships with others.

unspecified mental retardation

unspecified mental retardation the diagnosis made when an individual is presumed to have mental retardation but is too severely impaired or uncooperative to be evaluated through the use of standard intelligence tests and adaptive behavior measures. The DSM–IV–TR designation is mental retardation, severity unspecified. In DSM–5, the term is unspecified intellectual disability.

unstandardized score

unstandardized score see raw score.

unstructured

unstructured adj. denoting an object, situation, or set of ideas that does not have a definite pattern or organization.

unstructured autobiography

unstructured autobiography see autobiography.

unstructured interview

unstructured interview an interview that is highly flexible in terms of the questions asked, the kinds of responses sought, and the ways in which the answers are evaluated across interviewers or across interviewees. For example, a human resource staff member conducting an unstructured interview with a candidate for employment may ask open-ended questions so as to allow the spontaneity of the discussion to reveal more of the applicant’s traits, interests, priorities, and interpersonal and verbal skills than a standard predetermined question set would. Also called nondirective interview. Compare patterned interview; structured interview.

unstructured stimulus

unstructured stimulus a vague, poorly organized, and not clearly identifiable stimulus, such as an inkblot in the Rorschach Inkblot Test. The perception of unstructured stimuli is often thought to be influenced more by the characteristics of the perceiver than by those of the stimulus. Compare structured stimulus.

unsystematic variance

unsystematic variance the haphazard or random fluctuation of data for individuals over time. It is one of two types of variance identified in research, the other being systematic variance arising from the effects of the independent variables studied.

unthought known

unthought known in object relations theory, a preverbal awareness of one’s early experiences of important objects (e.g., parents, siblings) that is indescribable in words but that nonetheless influences one’s later thought and behavior. [coined in 1987 by British psychoanalyst Christopher Bollas]

Unusual Uses Test

Unusual Uses Test a test that measures divergent-thinking ability. In this test participants are asked to think of unusual uses for common objects, such as a paper clip. The number and novelty of unusual responses contribute to the overall score. [devised by Joy Paul Guilford]

unvoiced

unvoiced adj. denoting speech sounds that are articulated through breath, without vibration of the vocal cords. The unvoiced (or voiceless) sounds comprise some consonants (e.g., [p], [t], and [f]). Compare voiced. See binary feature.

unweighted means analysis

unweighted means analysis in analysis of variance, a strategy for handling missing data in which the actual sample size in each of the different conditions or levels of the independent variable is replaced by the average sample size. When participants become ill, withdraw, or otherwise fail to complete a research study, there are no longer equal numbers of cases in each experimental condition. An unweighted means analysis takes this inequality into account by applying an adjusted sample size value across all conditions, thus ensuring that data from all experimental groups contribute equally to the determination of treatment effects. Also called unweighted means procedure.

up through

up through a technique for testing clairvoyance in which the participant is asked to state the order of a stacked deck of Zener cards from bottom to top. Compare down through. See also basic technique.

up-and-down method

up-and-down method a strategy in which the administration of a stimulus event or item depends on a participant’s response to the previous item. The up-and-down method employs fixed, discrete levels and sequential transition rules of moving one level up, moving one level down, or remaining at the current level. Computer adaptive testing is an example.

up-regulation

up-regulation n. the formation of additional receptor molecules by target cells in response to increased levels of hormones. Compare down-regulation.

upper

upper n. slang for any of various drugs that stimulate the central nervous system, such as amphetamine and methamphetamine. See CNS stimulant.

upper hinge

upper hinge the point in a distribution of values above which lie one fourth of the data and below which lie the other three fourths of the data. It is equivalent to the third quartile. Compare lower hinge.

upper motor neuron

upper motor neuron see motor neuron.

upper quartile

upper quartile see quartile.

upper real limit

upper real limit see real limit.

upper threshold

upper threshold the maximum intensity of a stimulus that can be perceived without pain.

UPSIT

UPSIT abbreviation for University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test.

upward appraisal

upward appraisal in organizations, the evaluation of those in supervisory positions by their subordinates.

upward communication

upward communication written and oral messages that originate with individuals lower in the hierarchy of an organization and that flow upward to those occupying positions higher in the hierarchy. Upward communication is subject to distortions such as the mum effect, in which subordinates are unwilling to convey bad news to their superiors. The more levels in the hierarchy through which a message must pass, the more subject it is to distortion as the result of filtering at each level. Compare downward communication; horizontal communication.

upward grade homogenization

upward grade homogenization see grade inflation.

upward mobility

upward mobility the movement of a person or group to a higher social class. Upward mobility tends to be a feature of relatively relaxed class systems operating within expanding economies. Also called social ascendancy. See also social mobility. Compare downward mobility.

upward Pygmalion effect

upward Pygmalion effect an effect in which the expectations of followers or subordinates lead to behavior on the part of him or her or superior that is consistent with these expectations. The behavior of the leader does not reflect his or her true abilities or personality traits but rather the perception of the leader by subordinates. Compare Pygmalion effect. See role expectations; self-fulfilling prophecy.

upward social comparison

upward social comparison see social comparison theory.

UR

UR 1. abbreviation for unconditioned response. 2. abbreviation for utilization review.

ur-

UR 1. abbreviation for unconditioned response. 2. abbreviation for utilization review.

uracil

uracil (symbol: U) n. a pyrimidine compound in the nucleotides of living organisms. It is one of the four bases found in RNA that constitute the genetic code, the others being adenine, cytosine, and guanine. In DNA, thymine occurs instead of uracil.

uranoschisis

uranoschisis n. see cleft palate.

urban behavior

urban behavior the behavior of people living in cities, who appear to be less attentive to the needs of strangers, walk faster, make less eye contact, and are exposed to more violence and aggressive behavior than their rural or suburban counterparts. The prevailing features of the urban environment—its size, density, and pace—led to the theory, proposed by Stanley Milgram, that urban behavior is characterized by adaptation to the information overload of city life, resulting in anonymity, powerlessness, aggression, indifference to others, and narrow self-interest among city dwellers.

urban ecology

urban ecology the study of the dynamics and organization of city life, particularly in relation to population density and the nature of the city environment. Urban ecology is based on principles derived from biology, sociology, psychology, and environmental science. See also urbanization.

urban legend

urban legend an incredible or lurid story, often involving a mixture of horror and humor, that is widely repeated as if true (often as the experience of a “friend of a friend”) but can never be firmly documented. Urban legends differ from myths and folktales in that they nearly always have a contemporary setting and often involve modern technology (e.g., the many such tales about microwave ovens).

Urban’s weights

Urban’s weights see Müller–Urban weights.

urbanism

urbanism n. the way of life characteristic of cities. Urbanism has been a central area of research in sociology (most notably by the Chicago school) and psychology since the early 20th century, with psychologists principally focused on the implications of urban life for mental health and social norms.

urbanization

urbanization n. 1. the trend toward living in cities, which are defined by the United States Bureau of the Census as having populations of 50,000 or more. 2. the process of becoming a community with urban characteristics. In the early 20th century, psychological research on urbanization initially focused on the impact of urban life on mental health, purporting to find a link between inner-city residence and increased rates of mental illness; this position was later qualified (see drift hypothesis). Inquiry has since expanded to investigate the psychological, physical, and behavioral consequences of the urban environment (e.g., population density, crowding, noise, and pollution) and the social, economic, and cultural dimensions of city life. See also urban ecology. —urbanize vb.

Urecholine

Urecholine n. a trade name for bethanechol.

urethra

urethra n. a membrane-lined duct that carries urine from the urinary bladder to the exterior. In males, it passes through the corpus spongiosum of the penis and also serves as a channel for semen at ejaculation. In females, the urethra is less than 4 cm long and leads to an opening anterior to the vaginal orifice. —urethral adj.

urethral eroticism

urethral eroticism in psychoanalytic theory, sexual pleasure derived from urination. Also called urethral erotism. See urolagnia.

urethritis

urethritis n. inflammation of the urethra, with symptoms of painful urination (dysuria) and urethral discharge. The infection may be transmitted by sexual contact, as in cases of gonorrhea and nongonococcal urethritis.

urge incontinence

urge incontinence a type of urinary incontinence involving a sudden, strong desire to urinate followed by involuntary contractions of the bladder regardless of the amount of urine in the bladder. Because the bladder actually contracts, urine is released quickly, making it difficult for people with urge incontinence to predict or control the occurrence of the problem.

urinary incontinence

urinary incontinence loss of conscious control of urination due to an organic condition, such as a neurological disorder or age-related changes in the bladder or kidneys. See stress incontinence; urge incontinence. Compare enuresis.

urination

urination n. the discharge of urine from the bladder, which is effected by voluntary relaxation of the sphincter at the junction of the bladder and urethra and reflex contraction of the bladder wall (see micturition reflex). Also called micturition.

urn model

urn model a thought experiment in which objects of interest (e.g., people, events) are represented as colored balls placed in an urn or other container. In imagination, the experimenter randomly removes one ball from the urn, notes its color, and places it back before repeating the process; the goal is to determine the probability of drawing one color or another. The urn model is a convenient way to calculate certain basic probabilities using conditional probabilities.

uro- (ur-)

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urogenital

urogenital adj. referring to organs concerned with both excretion and reproduction. Also called urinogenital.

urolagnia

urolagnia n. sexual interest focused on urine and urination. This may involve watching others urinate, being urinated on during sexual activity, urinating on the partner during sexual activity, or drinking one’s own urine. Also called urophilia. See also urethral eroticism.

URT

URT abbreviation for uncertainty reduction theory.

urticaria

urticaria n. see hives.

US

US abbreviation for unconditioned stimulus.

US devaluation

US devaluation abbreviation for unconditioned stimulus devaluation.

US preexposure effect

US preexposure effect abbreviation for unconditioned stimulus preexposure effect.

us-versus-them effect

us-versus-them effect the tendency of individuals to view the social world in terms of an ingroup (“us”) and an outgroup (“them”). Consequently, people prefer to associate with those who are similar over those who are different, preferentially allocate resources to similar others, and hold more positive beliefs about similar others.

usability engineering

usability engineering a specialty that applies knowledge of human capabilities and limitations to the design of systems (typically human–computer systems) with the goal of ensuring ease of use. This can be achieved by enhancing such attributes as design intuitiveness, learnability, and comprehensibility. See also engineering psychology; user-centered design.

usable

usable adj. in ergonomics, describing a product or system that is designed to be easy to use with a minimum of frustration, errors, and inconvenience. —usability n.

use-and-disuse theory

use-and-disuse theory see Lamarckism.

useful field of view

useful field of view denoting a brief computer-administered test of cognitive selective attention in the visual periphery that predicts accident risk while driving. Performance on the test typically declines with adult age but can be improved through training.

user-centered design

user-centered design in ergonomics, design practice with a central focus on understanding the characteristics of the target group in order to produce usable products or systems. See also engineering psychology; usability engineering.

user-friendly

user-friendly adj. describing a product or system that is easy to understand or use.

Usher syndrome

Usher syndrome a genetic disorder, inherited as an autosomal recessive trait (see recessive allele), causing sensorineural deafness, deterioration of vision due to retinitis pigmentosa, and in some cases, loss of balance. [Charles Howard Usher (1865–1942), British ophthalmologist]

usual, customary, and reasonable fees (UCR fees)

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UTCPAB

UTCPAB abbreviation for Unified Tri-Service Cognitive Performance Assessment Battery.

uterine orgasm

uterine orgasm see vulval orgasm.

utero- (uter-)

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uterus

uterus n. the hollow muscular organ in female mammals in which the embryo develops from the time of implantation until birth. It is connected to the ovaries via the fallopian tubes and to the exterior via the vagina, into which the cervix (neck) of the uterus projects. The endometrium (lining) of the uterus undergoes changes during the menstrual cycle. Also called womb. —uterine adj.

utilitarian function of an attitude

utilitarian function of an attitude the role an attitude can play in obtaining rewards, avoiding punishments, or both. For example, a person might adopt a positive attitude toward a particular product because it is effective and a negative attitude toward its chief competitor because it is ineffective. See also functional approach to attitudes.

utilitarianism

utilitarianism n. an ethical theory based on the premise that the good is to be defined as that which brings the greatest amount or degree of happiness; thus, an act is considered moral if, compared to possible alternatives, it provides the greatest good for the greatest number of people. The doctrine is often reduced to the single maxim: The greatest good for the greatest number. The classical formulation of utilitarianism is that of British jurist and philosopher Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832), especially as championed by James Mill and popularized by John Stuart Mill. Utilitarianism is heavily influenced by hedonism and eudemonism; it also shares with behaviorism the notion that the fundamental motive for action is pleasure or benefit. Because it rejects the idea that actions may be intrinsically good or bad, irrespective of their consequences, and can provide no objective means of calculating the amount of happiness that derives from particular actions, utilitarianism is in practice a species of ethical relativism. Compare natural law theory. —utilitarian adj.

utility

utility n. 1. in decision making and economic theory, the subjective value of some outcome to the individual. 2. in industrial and organizational psychology, the value of an intervention or program as judged on the basis of its monetary worth to the organization. For example, there are methodologies for assessing the monetary gains achieved from using particular tests to select employees or particular training programs. 3. in biology, the usefulness of a characteristic in preserving the life of an organism or continuing the species. Both artificial selection and natural selection operate to increase utility. 4. in utilitarianism, the goodness of an act as determined by the amount or degree of happiness derived from it. 5. in general, the capacity of a thing to accomplish its designed purpose, as in the explanatory utility of a psychological theory.

utility standards

utility standards the information requirements of those for whom an evaluation research study is carried out. These standards include identifying all stakeholders, selecting evaluation objectives appropriate to the intended recipients of the findings, providing clear and timely reporting of information, and following procedures that maximize the study’s utilization. See also accuracy standards; feasibility standards; propriety standards.

utility theory

utility theory in decision making, any normative theory of utility that attempts to describe rational or optimal choice behavior.

utilization deficiency

utilization deficiency the inability of individuals to improve task performance by using strategies that they have already acquired and demonstrated the ability to use because they are not spurred to do so by memory. Although historically utilization deficiency has been most frequently studied in children, current research suggests that it may occur at any age as a by-product of diminished working memory capacity. Compare mediational deficiency; production deficiency.

utilization review (UR)

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utilization-focused evaluation

utilization-focused evaluation attempts to maximize the usefulness of the results of an evaluation research study for its intended users or stakeholders. All aspects of the design and the execution of the evaluation should be directed to this end. See also utility standards; participatory evaluation.

utopia

utopia n. an idealized, perfect society. Coined by English statesman and author Thomas More (1478–1535) in his speculative political fiction Utopia (1516), the term is of Greek derivation (literally, “no place”). By contrast, the term dystopia, coined in about 1950, refers to an imaginary society of nightmarish conditions. —utopian adj.

utopianism

utopianism n. 1. belief in the possibility of establishing an ideal social system (see utopia) on the basis of rational and moral principles. 2. any idealistic approach to political or social questions that is thought to depend on an unrealistic view of human nature.

utricle

utricle n. the larger of the two vestibular sacs in the inner ear, the other being the saccule. Like the saccule, the utricle senses not only the position of the head with respect to gravity but also acceleration and deceleration. This is achieved by a special patch of epithelium—the macula—inside both the utricle and saccule. —utricular adj.

utterance

utterance n. a unit of spoken language, which may be of any length but can usually be identified by conversational turn taking or by clear breaks in the stream of speech. Mean length of utterance is considered an important index of language development in young children.

UV

UV abbreviation for ultraviolet.

uveal tract

uveal tract see eye.

uvula

uvula n. 1. a fleshy appendage that hangs from the soft palate. It plays an important role as part of the apparatus for sound production of the human voice (see uvular). Also called palatine uvula. 2. any similarly shaped structure, such as those located in the urinary bladder and the cerebellum.

uvular

uvular 1. adj. of or relating to the uvula. 2. n. a speech sound produced with the back of the tongue pressing against the uvula, such as the [r] sound in French.

Psychology Terms Starting With 'U'