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decision making

the cognitive process of choosing between two or more alternatives, ranging from the relatively clear cut (e.g., ordering a meal at a restaurant) to the complex (e.g., selecting a mate). Psychologists have adopted two converging strategies to understand decision making: (a) statistical analysis of multiple decisions involving complex tasks and (b) experimental manipulation of simple decisions, looking at the elements that recur within these decisions.

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Psychology term of the day

January 28th 2025

antipyretic

antipyretic

n. a drug that helps control fever or other forms of hyperthermia (raised body temperature) by acting on the thermoregulatory center in the hypothalamus. Antipyretics may also help the body to dissipate heat faster by dilating peripheral arteries. Aspirin and other nonopioid analgesics function as antipyretics.