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positive affect

the internal feeling state (affect) that occurs when a goal has been attained, a source of threat has been avoided, or the individual is satisfied with the present state of affairs. The tendency to experience such states is called positive affectivity.

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Psychology term of the day

January 23rd 2025

intrinsic activity

intrinsic activity

1. the magnitude of a response to a drug regardless of dosage.

2. a measure of the efficacy of a drug-receptor complex in producing a pharmacological effect. Also called intrinsic efficacy.

3. the inborn readiness of babies to be inquisitive and to make contact with their environment. According to Jean Piaget, cognitive structures, by their very nature, seek to be active, predisposing the child to learn from experience with the environment.