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preparatory set

a special alertness or readiness to respond in a particular manner to an expected stimulus, action, or event. A preparatory set may be manifested physically, as when a tennis player prepares to receive a serve, or experienced mentally, as when a chess player anticipates an opponent’s next move. See mental set; perceptual set; set.

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Psychology term of the day

October 18th 2024

social representation

social representation

a system, model, or code for unambiguously naming and organizing values, ideas, and conduct, which enables communication and social exchange (i.e., at the levels of language and behavior) among members of a particular group or community. [term coined and theory elaborated by Romanian-born French psychologist Serge Moscovici (1925–  )]