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covert response

any generally unobservable response, such as a thought, image, emotion, or internal physiological reaction, the existence of which is typically inferred or measured indirectly. For example, covert preparation for physical responses can be observed in an electric brain potential called the lateralized readiness potential and in electromyographic measures of muscle activity. Also called implicit response. Compare overt response.

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Psychology term of the day

December 26th 2024

factor method

factor method

any means by which latent variables (factors) are extracted or identified in factor analysis. Widely used factor methods include principal components analysis, which seeks to find a set of linear combinations called components that help explain the correlations among variables; and principal-axis factor analysis, in which underlying dimensions or factors are sought to explain the correlations among variables after separating out communality and putting aside the error variance in a set of variables.