Find over 25,000 psychological definitions


sensory bias

the display of sensory preferences that may not relate to species-typical signals. Female tungara frogs prefer a low-pitched chuck note that males add to courtship calls, and females of a closely related species also prefer low-pitched chuck notes, even though males of their species do not produce these notes. The preference for low-pitched chuck notes is a sensory bias that can be exploited by any males able to add such a note to their mating calls. See sensory exploitation.

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

January 13th 2025

discontinuity hypothesis

discontinuity hypothesis

in Gestalt psychology, the viewpoint that emphasizes the role of sudden insight and perceptual reorganization in successful discrimination learning and problem solving. According to this view, a correct answer is only recognized when its relation to the issue as a whole is discovered. Also called discontinuity theory. Compare continuity hypothesis. See also aha experience; all-or-none learning; eureka task.