stimulus /stim·u·lus/ (stim´u-lus) pl. stim´uli [L.] any agent, act, or influence which produces functional or trophic reaction in a receptor or an irritable tissue.
adequate stimulus a stimulus of the specific form of energy to which a given receptor is sensitive.
aversive stimulus one which, when applied following the occurrence of a response, decreases the strength of that response on later occurrences.
conditioned stimulus a stimulus that acquires the capacity to evoke a particular response on repeated pairing with another stimulus naturally capable of eliciting the response.
discriminative stimulus a stimulus, associated with reinforcement, that exerts control over a particular form of behavior; the subject discriminates between closely related stimuli and responds positively only in the presence of that stimulus.
eliciting stimulus any stimulus, conditioned or unconditioned, that elicits a response.
heterologous stimulus one that produces an effect or sensation when applied to any part of a nerve tract.
homologous stimulus adequate s.
threshold stimulus a stimulus that is just strong enough to elicit a response.
unconditioned stimulus any stimulus naturally capable of eliciting a specific response.
ad·e·quate stimulus ( d  -kwt)n. A stimulus to which a particular receptor responds effectively and that gives rise to a characteristic sensation. |
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