T

T 1 Temperature 2 Time.

sTR In Hull's notational system, reaction time. Elsewhere RT is used.

t 1 A symbol used for denoting the ratio between a statistic and the measure of its standard error. See t test and t *distribution, 2 Abbreviation for time.

tabes 1 Generally, any progressive degeneration found in a chronic disease. 2 More specifically, degeneration of the posterior columns of the spinal cord. syn., tabes dorsallis

table A collection of scores or other data arranged in tabular form.

taboo 1 Any banned or prohibited act, object or behaviour. 2 The act of prohibition. The term comes from the Polynesian tabu, meaning sacred, inviolable, and was originally associated with objects set aside for religious practices and customs and forbidden for general use. Contemporary usage is much broader. adj., taboo, tabooed.

tabula rasa - Latin meaning blank tablet. The term refers to the philosophical view that humans came into this world unencumbered (and unassisted) by particular innate ideas. Espoused strongly by the early British empiricists, this view formed the basis of the theory that learning and experience are the critical factors in the human condition: the environment writes its message on the pristine mind.

tach - Laboratory slang for tachistoscope.

tachistoscope - An instrument that presents visual materials under conditions of very brief exposures. A sophisticated variety may have up to three or four separate screens (the images from which may be superimposed upon each other in any combination), an extremely precise timing system that can present materials for extremely short durations (less than 1msec.) and illumination controls to adjust the brightness of the display. Also called T-Scope, tach.

tach(y) - Combining form meaning rapid, swift, fast.

tachycardia A general term for any abnormally rapid heart action

tachylalia - Unusually rapid speech.

tachyphasia - Very rapid or highly voluble speaking.

tachyphrenia - Rapid mental functioning.

tachyphylaxis - Rapid, acute development of tolerance to a particular drug resulting from frequent, repeated administration. See drug *tolerance. syn., acute tolerance.

tacit - 1 unspoken or silent. 2 Inferred or understood. 3 Unconscious. See also implicit.

tacit knowledge - knowledge, tacit

tact - One of the categories of verbal behavior proposed by Skinner in his analysis of language. Tacting is verbal behavior that is under the control of its antecedents and makes contact with the external world. Naming is a classic tact. See autoclitic and mand.

tact- - Combining form meaning touch.

tactic - taxis

tactile - Pertaining or relating to touch, tactual. Some use it as a synonym of haptic, but see that term for a distinction.

tactile agnosia - agnosia, tactile.

tactile receptors - Meissner's corpuscles, Merkel's discs.