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severely disorganized and virtually incomprehensible speech or writing, marked by severe loosening of associations strongly suggestive of schizophrenia. The person’s associations appear to have little or no logical connection. Also called jargon aphasia. See also neologistic jargon; schizophrenic thinking.

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Psychology term of the day

February 22nd 2025

incentive motivation

incentive motivation

1. in Hull’s mathematico-deductive theory of learning, an inducement, such as the expectation of a reward or punishment, that serves as an intervening variable or mediator to influence response strength. See also stimulus-intensity dynamism.

2. more generally, any motivation induced by a positive reinforcer.