tremor

n. any involuntary trembling of the body or a part of the body (e.g., the hands) due to neurological or psychological causes. Psychological (or psychogenic) tremor may be mild, due to tension, or violent and uncontrolled in severe disturbances. Toxic effects of drugs or heavy metals may produce a transient tremor. A coarse tremor involves a large muscle group in slow movements, whereas a fine tremor is caused by a small bundle of muscle fibers that move rapidly. Some tremors occur only during voluntary movements (see action tremor); others occur in the absence of voluntary movement (see resting tremor). See also essential tremor.

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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)]