sciatic nerve

a large peripheral nerve that connects the receptor and effector cells in the leg to the spinal cord. Pain in the leg, which may extend over the entire length of this nerve, from the buttocks to the foot, is called sciatica. The cause is most commonly a slipped disk pressing on the nerve root emerging from the spinal cord.

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Psychology term of the day

December 26th 2024

false self

in the object relations theory of British psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott (1896–1971), the self that develops as a defense against impingements and in adaptation to the environment. This contrasts with the true self, which develops in an environment that adapts to the infant and allows him or her to discover and express true impulses.