Psychology

 A stimulus causes an action or response, like the ringing of your alarm clock if you didn't sleep through it. Stimulus is a word often used in biology — something that causes a reaction in an organ or cell, for example. In financial and economic contexts, a stimulus may be an incentive: the money you spend on your membership is a stimulus for hitting the gym. Though it can be a synonym for stimulant, they are not always used interchangeably. A stimulant is often a chemical or drug that increases activity — think caffeine. For more than one stimulus, use stimuli, not stimuluses. Definitions of stimulus noun any stimulating information or event; acts to arouse action synonyms:input, stimulant, stimulation see more noun a set of measures designed to encourage the economy during an economic downturn see more Cite this entry Style: "Stimulus." Vocabulary.com Dictionary, Vocabulary.com, https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/stimulus. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025. Copy citation

  00:00 00:33 A trait, as related to genetics, is a specific characteristic of an individual. Traits can be determined by genes, environmental factors or by a combination of both. Traits can be qualitative (such as eye color) or quantitative (such as height or blood pressure). A given trait is part of an individual’s overall phenotype. Narration 00:00 01:01 Trait. When you think of the word traits, you might think of personality traits like compassionate or a good sense of humor. In genetics, traits are characteristics about humans and other living organisms that can be described or measured. Traits can be physical or behavioral. Researchers and clinicians are interested in what causes people to have certain traits and not others, especially when those traits give us clues about causes and treatments of illness. When someone has a combination of a few particular traits, that might give us clues about how to diagnose a medical condition. And we can compare those traits to similar co...

 What Is Dopamine? Dopamine is a hormone and a type of neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, made in your brain. Your nervous system uses it to send messages between nerve cells. These messages also travel between your brain and the rest of your body.  This unique neurotransmitter affects your body, brain, and behavior. Dopamine plays a role in how we feel pleasure and rewards. It's a big part of our unique human ability to think and plan. It helps us focus, work towards goals, and find things interesting. Like most other systems in the body, you don’t notice it (or maybe even know about it) until there’s a problem. Too much or too little dopamine can lead to many different health issues. Some are serious, like Parkinson’s disease. Others are less severe.   What Does Dopamine Do? Dopamine travels along four major pathways in the brain. These pathways are like highways with pit stops (dopamine receptors) along the way. Dopamine stops at these receptors to send and recei...

 Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect SUBSCRIBE What is serotonin, and what does it do? Definition Function Mental health Deficiency symptoms Boosting serotonin Summary Serotonin is a natural chemical the intestines and brain produce. It helps send messages between nerve cells and affects mood, emotions, and digestion. View video transcript The scientific name for serotonin is 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). It is present in the nervous system, bowels, and blood platelets. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, and some also consider it a hormone. The body uses it to send messages between nerve cells. Serotonin has a wide variety of functions in the human body. People sometimes call it the “happy” chemical because it contributes to well-being and happiness. Serotonin appears to affect mood, emotions, appetite, and digestion. As the precursor for melatonin, it helps regulate sleep-wake cycles and the body clock. Many investigations have looked at serotonin and its effects....

  Thanatophobia is an intense   fear of death or dying . 1   For some, this involves a fear of being dead. Others are afraid of the dying process. A person with thanatophobia can fear their own death or they might fear the death of someone they love. Fortunately, thanatophobia can be treated, such as by engaging in psychotherapy. 2  This requires first identifying the symptoms, then receiving a formal diagnosis. Many, if not most, people are afraid of dying. However, if the fear is so prevalent as to affect your daily life, then you might have a diagnosable  phobia . What Does Thanatophobia Feel Like? A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. The  Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders  (DSM-5) categorizes phobias into three groups: specific phobias, social phobias, and  agoraphobia . Thanatophobia is a specific phobia. While thanatophobia is not specifically listed in the DSM-5, there are  symptoms of a phobia  that could b...