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jargon

n.

1. specialized words and forms of language used within a particular profession or field of activity. Although jargon is often unavoidable when dealing with technical or specialist subjects, inappropriate or unnecessary use can alienate outsiders, who find it unintelligible.

2. in prelinguistic children, babbling that sounds like plausible speech but is incomprehensible.

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Psychology term of the day

July 27th 2024

nativism

nativism

n.

1. the doctrine that the mind has certain innate structures and that experience plays a limited role in the creation of knowledge. See also innate ideas; nativistic theory. Compare constructivism; empiricism.

2. the doctrine that mental and behavioral traits are largely determined by hereditary, rather than environmental, factors. See nature–nurture.

3. the theory that individuals are born with all perceptual capabilities intact, although some capabilities may depend on the biological maturation of perceptual systems to reach adult levels. —nativist adj., n. —nativistic adj.