retention

1. persistence of learned behavior or experience during a period when it is not being performed or practiced, as indicated by the ability to recall, recognize, reproduce, or relearn it.

2. the storage and maintenance of a memory. Retention is the second stage of memory, after encoding and before retrieval.

3. the inability or refusal of an individual to defecate or urinate. —retentive adj.

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Psychology term of the day

October 5th 2024

identity theory

the theory that mental states are identical with brain states. In token identity theory, identical mental and brain states occur within the individual. Type identity theory extends this to theorize that when two or more people share a mental state (e.g., the belief that ice is cold) they also have the same brain state. Also called central state theory; identity theory of the mind. See also eliminativism; epiphenomenalism; materialism; mind–body problem; physicalism; reductionism.