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recapitulation theory

1. the hypothesis that the stages of embryological development of an organism mirror the morphological stages of evolutionary development characteristic of the species; that is, ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny. The theory was abandoned early in the 20th century when embryology showed no consistent correspondence between ontogeny and phylogeny. [proposed by German biologist Ernst H. Haeckel (1834–1919)]

2. the extension of the principle of recapitulation to a child’s mental and behavioral development. [proposed by G. Stanley Hall]

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Psychology term of the day

October 11th 2024

method of difference

method of difference

the second of the five canons of empirical science laid down by John Stuart Mill. It is meant to establish sufficient conditions for a phenomenon. For example, if under one condition, C1, an effect, E1, does not occur, and as C1 is changed to C2 the effect E1 does occur, it may be concluded that C2 is a sufficient cause of E1, and the alternative hypothesis, that C1 causes E1, can be eliminated. Thus, the effect is attributed to the “difference” between conditions C1 and C2. Also called difference canon.