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physical determinism

the type of determinism presumed to operate among physical objects in the natural world. In psychology, physical determinism is the assumption that psychological events and behaviors have physical causes and can be described in terms of models and theories borrowed from the physical sciences. See hard determinism; psychological determinism. See also statistical determinism.

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Psychology term of the day

November 16th 2024

Doppler effect

Doppler effect

the apparent increase or decrease in wavelength or frequency observed when a source of electromagnetic radiation or sound approaches or recedes from the observer or listener, producing a change in hue or pitch. The total Doppler effect may result from motion of the source, observer, or medium (such as a sound wave). [Christian Andreas Doppler (1803–1853), Austrian mathematician]