| refractory period, psychological | A delayed response interval occurring when two stimuli are presented in close succession. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| absolute refractory period | The period following excitation when no response is possible regardless of the intensity of the stimulus. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| refractory period | <neurology, physiology> most commonly used in reference to the interval (typically 1ms) after the passage of an action potential during which an axon is incapable of responding to another. This is caused by inactivation of the sodium channels after opening. The maximum frequency at which neurons can fire is thus limited to a few hundred Hertz. An analogous refractory period occurs in individuals of Dictyostelium discoideum, which are insensitive to extracellular cyclic AMP immediately after a pulse of cAMP has been secreted. The term can be applied to any system where a similar insensitive period follows stimulation. (18 Nov 1997) |
| refractory period of electronic pacemaker | The time required to restore full sensitivity after detecting cardiac activity or delivering a pacing impulse. (05 Mar 2000) |
| relative refractory period | The period between the effective refractory period and the end of the refractory period; fibres then respond only to high intensity stimuli and the impulses conduct more slowly than normally. (05 Mar 2000) |
| effective refractory period | The period during which impulses may appear but are too weak to be conducted; the longest interval between adequate stimuli, falling just short of the time necessary to allow a propagated response to be evoked in a tissue by the second stimulus; it differs from the functional refractory period in that it is a measure of stimulus interval rather than response interval of time. (05 Mar 2000) |
| total refractory period | The absolute refractory period plus the relative refractory period. (05 Mar 2000) |
| functional refractory period | The minimum interval possible between successive responses to stimulation of a tissue. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adaptation, psychological | Favourable changes experienced by an individual, either as regards himself or his relationship with his environment, which lead to adjustment - also a rearrangement in mental attitude. (12 Dec 1998) |
| California psychological inventory test | A personality inventory, used with normal persons, in which emphasis is upon social interaction variables. (05 Mar 2000) |
| models, psychological | Theoretical representations that simulate psychological processes and/or social processes. These include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment. (12 Dec 1998) |
| psychological | Pertaining to psychology. (18 Nov 1997) |
| psychological dependence | <psychiatry> Pattern of compulsive drug use characterised by a continued craving for an opioid and the need to use the opioid for effects other than pain relief. (16 Dec 1997) |
| psychological phenomena and processes | Mechanisms and underlying psychological principles of mental processes and their applications. (12 Dec 1998) |
| psychological techniques | Methods used in the diagnosis and treatment of behavioural, personality, and mental disorders. (12 Dec 1998) |
| psychological tests | Standardised tests designed to measure abilities, as in intelligence, aptitude, and achievement tests, or to evaluate personality traits. (12 Dec 1998) |