hymen

n. a thin membrane that partly covers the opening to the vagina at birth. Although the hymen is sometimes not broken until the first experience of sexual intercourse, it may rupture at or before puberty; thus, its absence is not a reliable sign of loss of virginity. —hymenal adj.

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Psychology term of the day

November 28th 2024

fatigue effect

a decline in performance on a prolonged or demanding research task that is generally attributed to the participant becoming tired or bored with the task. The fatigue effect is an important consideration when administering a lengthy survey or test in which participants’ performance may worsen simply due to the challenges of an extended task.