tense

1. adj. in a state of nervous activity.

2. n. in linguistics, one of a set of forms taken by a verb to mark the relation between the time of the reported action (or state or condition) and the time of the utterance. In addition to the simple present (I run) and simple past (I ran), English has a future tense formed using the auxiliary verbs shall and will; additional aspects of the verb, expressing completed or continuous action, can be formed using the auxiliary verbs be, have, and do (I did run, I am running, etc.).

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Psychology term of the day

February 23rd 2025

psychoneuromuscular theory

a theory postulating how the use of mental imagery of an activity can improve the subsequent motor performance of that activity. It states that, during the processing of imagery, the brain sends impulses to the muscles. These impulses are identical to those that cause muscle contraction with movement but are of lower intensity. The neural pathways are thereby strengthened, facilitating the learning and performance of motor skills. Also called ideomotor principle. See also mental practice. [originally proposed in 1874 by British physiologist William Benjamin Carpenter (1813–1885)]