remote cause

a cause that is removed from its effect in time or space but is nevertheless the ultimate or overriding cause. In a causal chain, it may be considered to be the precipitating event without which the chain would not have begun (the original cause). For example, the proximate cause of Smith’s aggression may be a trivial snub, but the remote cause may be Smith’s early childhood experiences. See also causal latency; delayed effect.

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Psychology term of the day

May 8th 2024

midbrain

n. a relatively small region of the upper brainstem that connects the forebrain and hindbrain. It contains the tectum (and associated inferior and superior colliculi), tegmentum, and substantia nigra. Also called mesencephalon.