range

n. a measure of dispersion obtained by subtracting the lowest score in a distribution from the highest score. For example, if the highest score on a test is 100 and the lowest score is 10, then the range is (100 – 10) = 90 points. Because it describes a raw discrepancy between the low and high scores, range is generally perceived as less informative than other measures of dispersion, such as the standard deviation.

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Psychology term of the day

February 22nd 2025

excitotoxic lesion

a lesion caused by paroxysmal overactivity of neurons, which may be associated with seizures or occur after stroke. This is most commonly caused by overstimulation of neurons by excitatory amino acids (see excitotoxicity).