ecological study

1. research into the mutual relations between organisms and their environments. See ecology.

2. in psychology, research that evaluates the influence of environmental factors on individual behavior and mental health. See human ecology; social ecology; urban ecology.

3. any study in which the statistical analyses are conducted at the population level rather than the individual level. See epidemiology.

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Psychology term of the day

January 21st 2025

reciprocal relationship

1. a correlation between two variables such that the value of one variable is the reciprocal of the value of the other. For example, if a researcher is studying the average time taken to complete a task, then tasks completed per unit time (e.g., 2 per hour) have a reciprocal relationship with unit time taken per task (0.5 hours).

2. the situation in which two variables can mutually influence one another; that is, each can be both a cause and an effect.