Find over 25,000 psychological definitions


lek mating

a mating system in which several males congregate at one location during the mating season, forming small individual territories and competing with each other for mates by giving complex, elaborate visual and vocal displays. Females are attracted by these displays and move among the males to choose their mate. Typically, the males provide no parental care to resulting offspring.

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

January 3rd 2025

noncontingent reinforcement

noncontingent reinforcement

the process or circumstances in which a stimulus known to be effective as a reinforcer is presented independently of any particular behavior. Because contingencies may arise by accident (see accidental reinforcement), behavior-independent presentation of stimuli cannot guarantee that no contingency exists between a response and the stimuli. See reinforcement.