thermal discrimination

the ability to detect differences in temperature among stimuli. Some animals (e.g., snakes) are able to locate prey by differences of a fraction of a degree between the temperature of the environment and that produced by the body heat of potential prey. Humans, however, are much less sensitive to temperature change.

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Psychology term of the day

October 18th 2024

cofigurative culture

a society or culture in which people learn chiefly from other people in the same age group, so that, for example, children learn mostly from children and young adults from young adults. Compare postfigurative culture; prefigurative culture. [coined by U.S. anthropologist Margaret Mead (1901–1978)]