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differential reinforcement

in conditioning, the reinforcement of only selected behavior. For example, one might reinforce lever presses that are more than 1 second in duration but not reinforce those that are less than 1 second in duration.

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Psychology term of the day

November 17th 2024

mother figure

mother figure

1. a person who occupies the mothering role in relation to a child: a mother surrogate.

2. in psychoanalytic theory, a person onto whom the patient transfers feelings and attitudes that he or she had toward the real mother or the primary caregiver. Also called mother substitute.