Behavior that develops without functional experience or with minimal exposure to environmental events. Because the term has so many additional meanings, it should be generally avoided. Compare with contrasting definitions provided in Innate (1) and Innate (2). See Ethology, Innate (1), Innate (2), Instinct (1), Instinct (2), Nativism, Ontogenetic development, Vitalism
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Inhibitory control
Also known as behavioral inhibition, it is a psychological process in which routine, habitual or over-practised responses to a stimulus may be suppressed when such responses are at odds with a higher order goal. Different types of inhibitory control may be distinguished according to either the inhibited response (e.g., simple act or more complex responses …
Innate (1)
Having arisen within the species as a result of selection pressure, without teaching. Innate propensities may be expressed at or by birth, or only emerge later. An innate tendency to attend to human faces emerges early, while an innate tendency to attend to where someone is pointing emerges months later. In studying the human mind, …
Informed consent
A process in which a competent individual voluntarily agrees to participate in a (research) procedure, based on a full disclosure of relevant information. See Beneficience, Debriefing, Dehoaxing, Desensitising
Information
A technical term, measured in ‘bits’ (log base 2) that is often used informally to account for range of events and the sources of constraints on expression. This is a formal interpretation of the meaning of information. It has, however, assumed a monolithic status in psychology, with its meaning (loosely applied), having different interpretations being …
Information technology
The development and implementation of computer systems and applications. In the context of schooling and literacy, information technology has had an impact in terms of: 1. new teaching methods and resources including the internet, 2. interactive programs and CD ROM databases, 3. new writing, editing and presentation practices supported by word processing, data handling and design …
Information-processing theories
In cognitive psychology, a set of theories derived from formal automata theory originally put forward by John von Neumann (1903-1957) at the Hixon symposium (1948). Such theories make the distinction between that which controls (a controlling device) and that which is controlled (a controlled system). Broadly speaking, they contain one of three types of models: cybernetic …
Inferior temporal cortex (ITC)
Situated in the temporal lobe on its internal convexity (curved or rounded outward), and in humans consists of the middle and inferior temporal gyri. In terms of cytoarchitecture, it corresponds to Brodman’s areas 20 and 21. It is the final stage of the ventral cortical visual stream, and as such only responds to visual stimuli. …
Influence efficacy
A measure of effect size including indices with a fixed potential range of -1.0 to +1.0 such as for a correlation, regression coefficient, standardized mean differences and proportion of variance accounted for. Measures are expressed in the units of the variables such as regression coefficients, and those with a theoretically infinite range, such as odds …
Inferior parietal lobe (IPL)
Part of the brain on the top side of the head, just above the ear, which is involved in understanding where things are in space and is also in comparing equivalences in actions performed by ourselves and other people during imitation tasks. It also plays a role in keeping track of who produces an action …