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dominance hierarchy

1. a system of stable linear variations in prestige, status, and authority among group members. It is the pecking order of the group, which describes who is influential and who submits to that influence. See also status relations.

2. any ordering of motives, needs, or other psychological or physical responses based on priority or importance. An example is Maslow’s motivational hierarchy.

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Psychology term of the day

March 11th 2025

delirium

delirium

n. a disturbed mental state in which attention cannot be sustained, the environment is misperceived, and the stream of thought is disordered. The individual may experience changes in cognition (which can include disorientation, memory impairment, or disturbance in language), perceptual disturbances, hallucinations, illusions, and misinterpretation of sounds or sights. The episode develops quickly and can fluctuate over a short period. Delirium may be caused by a variety of conditions, such as infections, cerebral tumors, substance intoxication and withdrawal, head trauma, and seizures.