polygyny

1. among nonhuman animals, a mating system in which a male mates with more than one female but a female mates with only one male. See also harem; resource defense polygyny.

2. marriage of a man to more than one wife at the same time, which is an accepted custom in certain cultures. Compare monogamy; polyandry; polygamy; polygynandry. —polygynous adj.

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Psychology term of the day

November 19th 2024

stepdown test

a memory test used in studies of shock-avoidance learning in rats and mice. When the animal first steps down from an elevated platform in the test chamber, it receives a brief foot shock. On subsequent test trials, the animal is usually much slower to step down, indicating its memory for the shock experience; a lack of hesitation in stepping down on postshock trials is considered a sign of cognitive impairment. Also called stepdown avoidance.