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goal

n.

1. the end state toward which a human or nonhuman animal is striving: the purpose of an activity or endeavor. It can be identified by observing that an organism ceases or changes its behavior upon attaining this state.

2. a target of proficiency to be achieved in a task within a set period of time. See goal setting.

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Psychology term of the day

July 27th 2024

Flynn effect

Flynn effect

the gradual cross-cultural rise in raw scores obtained on measures of general intelligence. These increases have been roughly 9 points per generation (i.e., 30 years). The gains have been unequally distributed across the different kinds of abilities, with fluid abilities showing substantially greater gains than crystallized abilities (see Cattell–Horn theory of intelligence). [James Flynn (1934–  ), New Zealand philosopher who first documented its occurrence]