disability

n. a lasting physical or mental impairment that significantly interferes with an individual’s ability to function in one or more central life activities, such as self-care, ambulation, communication, social interaction, sexual expression, or employment. For example, an individual who cannot see has a visual disability. See also handicap. —disabled adj.

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Psychology term of the day

January 29th 2025

emic

adj.

1. denoting an approach to the study of human cultures that interprets behaviors and practices in terms of the system of meanings created by and operative within a particular cultural context. Such an approach would generally be of the kind associated with ethnography rather than ethnology. Compare etic. [introduced by U.S. linguist Kenneth Pike (1912–2000); first used in anthropology by U.S. cultural anthropologist Marvin Harris (1927–2001)]

2. in linguistics, see emic–etic distinction.