latency stage

in classical psychoanalytic theory, the stage of psychosexual development in which overt sexual interest is sublimated and the child’s attention is focused on skills and peer activities with members of his or her own sex. This stage is posited to last from the resolution of the Oedipus complex, at about age 6, to the onset of puberty. Also called latency; latency period; latency phase; latent stage.

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Psychology term of the day

February 24th 2025

simple structure

in exploratory factor analysis, a set of criteria for determining the adequacy of a factor rotation solution. These criteria require that each factor show a pattern of high factor loadings on certain variables and near-zero loadings on others and that each variable load on only one factor. This minimizes the complexity of the factor solution, allows each variable to be most strongly identified with a specific factor, and increases interpretability.