gregariousness

n. the tendency for human beings to enjoy the company of others and to want to associate with them in social activities. Gregariousness gives people security, companionship, acceptance, and a sense of belonging. In nonhuman animals, gregariousness is seen in the tendency to congregate in herds or flocks. See need for affiliation; social instinct. —gregarious adj.

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Psychology term of the day

August 31st 2024

learning paradigm

an experimental design used to research incidental learning. Groups of participants are shown the same stimuli (e.g., a list of 20 words) but asked to perform different tasks with them (e.g., picture associated words, determine the average number of letters in each word). Afterward, the participants unexpectedly are asked to recall as many of the presented items as possible.