rooting reflex

an automatic, unlearned response of a newborn to a gentle stimulus (e.g., the touch of a finger) applied to the corner of the mouth or to the cheek, in which the infant turns his or her head and makes sucking motions.

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Psychology term of the day

October 10th 2024

anal eroticism

in psychoanalytic theory, pleasurable sensations associated with expulsion, retention, or observation of the feces or through stimulation of the anus. These sensations first arise in the anal stage of psychosexual development, between the ages of 1 and 3. Also called anal erotism. See also anal personality; coprophilia.