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Psychological Terms – Amafufunyane
Amafufunyane is a culture-bound syndrome predominantly reported among Xhosa-speaking communities in southern Africa. It manifests in symptoms resembling possession or dissociative states, often involving shouting, hysteria, or hearing voices. Culturally, it is interpreted as spirit possession, often linked to social stress, witchcraft accusations, or interpersonal conflict. From a psychological standpoint, amafufunyane has been compared to dissociative identity disorder and psychogenic seizures. Anthropologists and transcultural psychiatrists study it to understand how mental distress is expressed through culturally specific idioms. It serves as a key example in cross-cultural psychology of how cultural belief systems shape the perception and treatment of psychological disorders.
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Psychological Terms – Amacrine
Amacrine cells are specialized neurons located in the retina that lack distinct axons and instead connect bipolar cells to ganglion cells. They perform lateral communication within the inner retinal layers, modulating and integrating visual signals before these reach the optic nerve. Although the complete range of their functions is not fully understood, amacrine cells are thought to influence contrast sensitivity, motion detection, and temporal resolution. They contribute to the ability to detect changes in light intensity and movement, especially under low illumination. In the study of visual neuroscience, amacrine cells illustrate the complexity of neural networks within sensory processing and highlight how perception is shaped by pre-conscious neural organization.
Amacrine cells are specialized neurons located in the retina that lack distinct axons and instead connect bipolar cells to ganglion cells. They perform lateral communication within the inner retinal layers, modulating and integrating visual signals before these reach the optic nerve. Although the complete range of their functions is not fully understood, amacrine cells are thought to influence contrast sensitivity, motion detection, and temporal resolution. They contribute to the ability to detect changes in light intensity and movement, especially under low illumination. In the study of visual neuroscience, amacrine cells illustrate the complexity of neural networks within sensory processing and highlight how perception is shaped by pre-conscious neural organization.
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Psychology Terms - alpha male
The highest-ranked male individual within a dominance hierarchy, hook order, or pecking order. Also denoted as alpha male.
The highest-ranked male individual within a dominance hierarchy, hook order, or pecking order. Also denoted as alpha male.
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Psychology Terms - Alpha function
In psychoanalysis, a term coined by Indian-born British psychoanalyst Wilfred R(uprecht) Bion (1897–1979) to describe the process through which the unprocessed components of sensory experience, referred to as beta elements, are converted into elements appropriate for mental assimilation, known as alpha elements.
In psychoanalysis, a term coined by Indian-born British psychoanalyst Wilfred R(uprecht) Bion (1897–1979) to describe the process through which the unprocessed components of sensory experience, referred to as beta elements, are converted into elements appropriate for mental assimilation, known as alpha elements.
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Psychology Terms - alpha-fetoprotein
A protein synthesized in the liver of a human fetus. Abnormally low concentrations of amniotic fluid or maternal blood may suggest Down syndrome in the fetus, whereas abnormally high levels may indicate spina bifida.
A protein synthesized in the liver of a human fetus. Abnormally low concentrations of amniotic fluid or maternal blood may suggest Down syndrome in the fetus, whereas abnormally high levels may indicate spina bifida.
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Psychology Terms - Alpha fibre
A large-diameter, heavily myelinated type of efferent somatic nerve fibre, exemplified by the fibre innervating skeletal muscle, comprised of alpha motor neurons and characterized by high conduction velocity. United States alpha fiber. Also referred to as α fibre.
A large-diameter, heavily myelinated type of efferent somatic nerve fibre, exemplified by the fibre innervating skeletal muscle, comprised of alpha motor neurons and characterized by high conduction velocity. United States alpha fiber. Also referred to as α fibre.
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Psychology Terms - alpha element
In psychoanalysis, a phrase used by Indian-born British psychotherapist Wilfred R. Bion (1897–1979) to refer to any mental component that can be transformed by the alpha function into a beta element.
In psychoanalysis, a phrase used by Indian-born British psychotherapist Wilfred R. Bion (1897–1979) to refer to any mental component that can be transformed by the alpha function into a beta element.
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Psychology Terms - Alpha blocking
The inhibition of the alpha wave in an EEG recording of an individual who is focused on or concentrating on a task.
The inhibition of the alpha wave in an EEG recording of an individual who is focused on or concentrating on a task.
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Psychology Terms - Alogia
Essentially devoid of words, but typically (in reference to one of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, for instance) interpreted as a deficiency of cognition deduced from poverty of speech or content.
295)
Essentially devoid of words, but typically (in reference to one of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, for instance) interpreted as a deficiency of cognition deduced from poverty of speech or content.
295)
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Psychology Terms – Allomorph
A variable form of a same morpheme that occurs under diverse conditions, shown by the several forms of the negative prefix in- in the words indirect, irreducible, unlikely, and ignoble.
A variable form of a same morpheme that occurs under diverse conditions, shown by the several forms of the negative prefix in- in the words indirect, irreducible, unlikely, and ignoble.
