Glossary / N

Psychology terms starting with N

845 terms with short definitions. Study these as flashcards

Nabbreviation: Shows the total number of people or cases included in a study.
n-3 fatty acidsnoun: These omega-3 fats help build and maintain cells and support brain development and other bodily functions.
n-Achabbreviation: The abbreviation means need for achievement, a drive to reach challenging goals and meet high personal standards.
n-Affabbreviation: The abbreviation means need for affiliation, a desire to form social connections and feel accepted by others.
n-Intabbreviation: The abbreviation means need for intimacy, a tendency to seek emotionally close, warm, and caring relationships.
N-methyl-D-aspartatenoun: A chemical called NMDA activates a particular kind of glutamate receptor involved in communication between nerve cells.
N-of-1 designnoun: A research approach repeatedly studies one person or other single unit over time to examine patterns and changes.
n-Powabbreviation: The abbreviation means need for power, a tendency to seek influence or control over other people.
N/OFQabbreviation: Short for nociceptin/orphanin FQ, this naturally produced peptide signals through its own opioid-family receptor and helps regulate pain processing.
N=1 designnoun: A study follows one person, group, or other unit repeatedly to investigate change within that single case.
N1 componentnoun: An early negative brainwave response appears around 100 milliseconds after a stimulus and often becomes larger when attention is directed toward it.
NAabbreviation: The abbreviation names Narcotics Anonymous, a peer support fellowship for people seeking recovery from drug addiction.
NABabbreviation: The Neuropsychological Assessment Battery combines tests of adult attention, language, memory, spatial skills, and planning abilities.
nabilonenoun: A manufactured cannabinoid medicine acts similarly to THC and is used to reduce nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy.
nAchRabbreviation: A nicotinic acetylcholine receptor responds to acetylcholine or nicotine by opening a channel that allows charged particles across a cell membrane.
nadlenoun: A Navajo cultural term describes a gender role beyond a simple male–female division, sometimes discussed within Two-Spirit identities.
NAEPabbreviation: This nationwide testing program tracks academic achievement over time using student samples chosen to represent the broader U.S. school population.
Nafe pattern theorynoun: A historical theory proposes that patterns of nerve-cell firing determine what different sensations on the skin feel like.
Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT)noun: A school-age reasoning test uses visual patterns and puzzles to assess problem solving while reducing reliance on language.
naikannoun: A Japanese reflective therapy examines care received, care given, and difficulties caused to others to encourage gratitude and responsibility.
nail bitingnoun: A repeated habit of chewing fingernails may occur automatically or as a response to tension.
naive analysis of actionnoun: Everyday reasoning helps people judge whether someone's actions arose from personal intentions or surrounding circumstances.
naive hedonismnoun: In Kohlberg's proposed second moral stage, people judge actions mainly by personal benefits, rewards, and exchanges.
naive observernoun: A person watches events with little advance knowledge about the situation or the people involved.
naive participantnoun: A research participant enters a particular study without previous participation in it or knowledge of the researcher's prediction.
naive personality theoriesnoun: Everyday beliefs suggest which personality traits tend to occur together, often without people noticing these assumptions.
naive psychologynoun: People use ordinary reasoning and intuition to decide how someone's intentions or circumstances contributed to an action.
naive realismnoun: People may assume their own perspective shows reality without bias and treat disagreement as evidence that others are biased.
Nalline testnoun: A historical test used injected nalorphine to trigger withdrawal signs as evidence of recent opioid use.
nalmefenenoun: A medicine blocks opioid receptors and can reverse opioid effects, including dangerously slowed breathing.
nalorphinenoun: A historical opioid medicine blocks some opioid effects while producing others through different receptor actions.
naloxonenoun: A medicine that blocks opioid drugs at receptors and can quickly stop an overdose.
naltrexonenoun: A medicine that blocks opioid effects and can help treat opioid or alcohol dependence.
name-of-the-fatheradjective: In Lacan’s theory, this describes a proposed stage when infants begin using symbols through the father representing the mother’s absence.
NAMIabbreviation: A mental health organization offers education, peer support, and advocacy for people experiencing mental illness and their families.
namingnoun: In schizophrenia, a person connects with the surroundings only by labeling objects and actions.
naming explosionnoun: Young children sometimes rapidly increase the number of words they say, often during their second year.
naming tasknoun: An activity asks someone to supply names from pictures, descriptions, or categories to examine language and knowledge retrieval.
nanometernoun: This tiny measurement of distance equals 0.000000001 meters and helps describe wavelengths of light.
nanosomia body typenoun: An outdated body classification described inherited short stature with relatively balanced body proportions.
Narcannoun: A brand of naloxone blocks opioid effects and can restore breathing slowed by an opioid overdose.
narcissismnoun: An unhealthy pattern of extreme self-focus, feeling very important, and craving praise from others.
narcissistic characternoun: A personality pattern involves unusually strong focus on oneself and an exaggerated view of one’s own importance.
narcissistic object choicenoun: Psychoanalytic theory proposes that people sometimes choose someone to love because that person resembles themselves.
narcissistic personalityphrase: A long-term pattern of extreme self-focus and an exaggerated sense of personal importance.
narcissistic personality disorderphrase: A lasting pattern of feeling superior, needing admiration, and lacking empathy that harms relationships.
Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI)noun: A research questionnaire measures narcissistic traits, often by asking people to choose between paired descriptions of themselves.
narcissistic transferencenoun: In self psychology theory, patients experience their therapist as meeting needs for admiration, similarity, or someone strong to admire.
narcissistic typenoun: Freud proposed a personality type whose psychological energy centers on the ego, emphasizing self-preservation over relationships or conscience.
narcissistic vulnerabilitynoun: A dimension of narcissism involves unstable self-worth, strong need for approval, and intense sensitivity to criticism or rejection.
narcoanalysisnoun: A historical psychoanalytic technique used drugs to reduce alertness while exploring feelings and attempting to uncover supposedly hidden memories.
narcolepsynoun: A sleep disorder causes overwhelming daytime sleepiness and sudden REM sleep attacks, sometimes with muscle weakness or paralysis.
narcolepsy–cataplexy syndromenoun: A sleep disorder pattern combines repeated daytime sleep episodes with sudden, temporary muscle weakness, often triggered by strong emotion.
narcomanianoun: An outdated label described an overwhelming desire to use narcotic drugs for relief from pain or discomfort.
narcosynthesisnoun: A historical therapy used drugs to encourage traumatic recall, followed by fully awake discussions connecting those experiences with emotional life.
narcotherapynoun: A historical approach provided psychotherapy while drugs made the patient drowsy and only partly aware.
narcoticnoun: An imprecise, often legal label for opioids and sometimes other misused drugs.
narcotic agonistnoun: A drug activates opioid receptors in the nervous system, producing effects that can include pain relief and sleepiness.
narcotic analgesicnoun: An opioid medicine reduces physical pain and the distress associated with it by activating opioid receptors.
narcotic antagonistnoun: A drug blocks opioid receptor activation, reducing or reversing effects caused by opioid drugs.
narcotic dependencenoun: A former diagnosis described problematic, repeated opioid use involving impaired control, serious consequences, or features such as withdrawal.
narcotic stupornoun: Opioid effects can produce extreme drowsiness, little movement, and greatly reduced responses to surrounding sights, sounds, or touch.
Narcotics Anonymous (NA)noun: A peer fellowship uses twelve steps and shared experience to support people who want to stop using drugs.
Nardilnoun: A brand of phenelzine treats depression by blocking an enzyme that breaks down certain chemical messengers in the brain.
NARHCabbreviation: An organization represents rural health clinics and advocates for accessible, affordable, high-quality care in underserved communities.
narrative analysisphrase: Researchers study people's stories about life events to understand how they organize experiences and create personal meaning.
narrative methodnoun: An eyewitness interview approach combines established facts with personal accounts to reconstruct an event as a story.
narrative psychologynoun: A field studies how storytelling shapes people’s memories, identities, expectations, and understanding of their experiences.
narrative theorynoun: An approach examines how stories are organized and how their patterns influence personal understanding and social experience.
narrative therapyphrase: A counseling approach that helps people retell life events in truer, more helpful ways.
narrotophilianoun: This sexual interest centers on arousal from saying or listening to explicit sexual language during sexual activity.
NASabbreviation: A private nonprofit society brings together accomplished researchers to advance science and its benefits for the public.
NASA Task Load Index (NASA TLX)noun: A workload questionnaire combines ratings of mental, physical, and time demands with perceived performance, effort, and frustration.
nasaladjective: Describes a speech sound made when most air flows out through the nose.
nasal cavitynoun: The hollow area inside the nose carries air, contains smell receptors, and helps shape the sound of speech.
nasopharynxnoun: The upper throat region behind the nose sits above the soft palate and serves as an airway.
NASPSPAabbreviation: A North American scholarly society advances research and teaching about behavior in sport, physical activity, and movement learning and development.
NASWabbreviation: A professional organization supports social workers’ development and establishes expectations for ethical, competent practice.
natalitynoun: A population’s birth rate compares live births with population size during a specified period.
National Academy of Sciences (NAS)noun: A nonprofit American society of accomplished researchers promotes scientific progress and the use of knowledge for public benefit.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)noun: A community-based organization supports people experiencing mental illness and their families through education, mutual support, and advocacy.
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)noun: A United States testing program samples students to track academic achievement across subjects and population groups over time.
National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC)noun: An American organization advocates for rural clinics and works to improve affordable health care in communities with limited services.
National Association of Social Workers (NASW)noun: An American professional association helps social workers develop their skills and promotes ethical standards for their work.
national characternoun: A disputed idea assigns shared personality traits to an entire nation’s people, often relying on stereotypes.
National Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia Association (NCFSFA)noun: An organization was established to educate the public about fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and related conditions.
National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)noun: A nonprofit organization evaluates health plans, measures care quality, and awards accreditation to plans meeting its standards.
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)noun: A nonprofit organization promotes eating disorder awareness, support, research, prevention, and improved treatment through education and advocacy.
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)noun: An American research program combines interviews with physical examinations to study population health and nutrition and track patterns over time.
National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)noun: A major United States survey collects health information about civilians living outside institutions.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)phrase: A U.S. government agency that funds research on mental illness, brain function, and behavior.
National Labor Relations Actnoun: A 1935 United States law protects covered employees’ rights to organize unions, negotiate together, and strike.
National Mental Health Association (NMHA)noun: This former organizational name identifies Mental Health America, a nonprofit supporting mental health through education, advocacy, research, and services.
National Parent Teachers Association (NPTA)noun: A national nonprofit brings parents and educators together to support children’s education, health, and well-being.
National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB)noun: A federal database records certain disciplinary actions and malpractice payments involving health professionals to support checks of their qualifications.
National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychologynoun: A national nonprofit checks psychologists’ professional qualifications to support standards for psychological health services.
National Research Councilnoun: A United States scientific organization established in 1916 expanded the work of the National Academy of Sciences.
National Science Foundation (NSF)noun: An independent United States government agency supports scientific and engineering research, including work at universities.
nationalismnoun: Strong identification with a nation can involve intense loyalty, cultural pride, or beliefs that it is superior.
nativeadjective: Present from birth rather than learned later through experience.
Native Americannoun: A person from one of the original peoples of North America before European settlers arrived.
native speakernoun: A person acquired a particular language naturally during early childhood as a first language.
nativismnoun: A theoretical view gives inherited mental structures or abilities a central role in knowledge, perception, and behavior.
nativistic theorynoun: A language-learning theory proposes that children have inborn knowledge of language structure that helps them interpret speech they encounter.
natural categorynoun: An everyday grouping uses a familiar middle level of detail, such as dog between animal and poodle.
natural childnoun: In transactional analysis, a proposed child ego state expresses spontaneous enjoyment, creativity, impulses, and impatience.
natural childbirthnoun: An approach to giving birth uses preparation, breathing, and relaxation with the aim of minimizing medication and other medical interventions.
natural consequencesphrase: Learning happens when adults do not step in and a child's own actions lead to an instructive result.
natural experimentnoun: Researchers compare outcomes following events or conditions they did not arrange, using real-world differences to investigate possible effects.
natural family planningnoun: Pregnancy prevention involves tracking likely fertile days and avoiding vaginal intercourse during that time, without contraceptive drugs or devices.
natural fertilitynoun: An organism’s reproductive capacity, in humans, is considered without the effects of contraception or deliberately ending pregnancies.
natural groupnoun: A group develops through ordinary social life rather than being assembled specifically for a research study.
natural highnoun: A feeling of unusual happiness or well-being arises without drugs, often during or after physical or mental activity.
natural killer cell (NK cell)noun: An immune cell destroys some infected or cancerous cells without requiring recognition of a specific foreign antigen.
natural languagenoun: A language develops through human community use over time rather than being deliberately designed as a formal system.
natural language categorynoun: A grouping reflects distinctions expressed in a particular language’s word meanings, which may differ across languages.
natural lawnoun: In science, a general principle describes a consistent pattern observed in nature.
natural law theorynoun: A philosophical view proposes universal moral principles grounded in nature or divine authority, often understood through reason.
natural monismnoun: A philosophical view holds that mental and physical events share one material reality, ultimately explainable through physical science.
natural reinforcerphrase: Something like food or water that increases behavior because it is naturally rewarding, not learned.
natural selectionnoun: Inherited traits become more or less common across generations because they affect survival and reproductive success in particular environments.
natural work modulenoun: A worker or team completes an entire product or meaningful task sequence, making the overall contribution easier to recognize.
natural work teamnoun: Employees whose tasks connect or complement one another cooperate as a shared working unit.
naturalismnoun: A philosophical view holds that everything belongs to nature and that scientific methods provide reliable knowledge of reality.
naturalist intelligencenoun: Within multiple-intelligences theory, a proposed ability helps people recognize, distinguish, and organize patterns in living things and other natural phenomena.
naturalistic environmentnoun: A laboratory setting includes features of an animal’s usual habitat, allowing typical behavior while researchers control other conditions.
naturalistic fallacynoun: A proposed reasoning error equates moral goodness with natural properties or infers moral duties solely from facts.
naturalistic observationphrase: Watching and recording behavior in real-life settings without changing what is happening.
naturenoun: In psychology, inborn traits and behavior patterns are seen as coming mostly from genes.
nature–nurturephrase: A longstanding debate examines how inherited characteristics and life environments contribute to development, with modern accounts emphasizing their interaction.
naturopathynoun: An alternative health system aims to support physical and mental health through approaches such as diet, massage, and other natural therapies.
Naturwissenschaftliche Psychologienoun: A nineteenth-century German approach used experiments and laboratory methods to study selected psychological processes, particularly perception.
nausea gravidarumnoun: Nausea, sometimes accompanied by vomiting, occurs during pregnancy and can happen at any hour.
nauseousadjective: Feeling sick to your stomach and close to vomiting.
nautilus eyenoun: A nautilus has a lensless eye that admits light through a small opening onto light-sensitive cells lining an inner chamber.
Navanenoun: A brand name identifies thiothixene, an antipsychotic medicine belonging to the thioxanthene drug family.
navigationnoun: The way an animal finds where to go by using cues like stars, smells, landmarks, or Earth's magnetism.
nay-sayingnoun: A habit of answering no to questions no matter what, which can skew survey results.
NBASabbreviation: The Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale evaluates young infants’ behavior and nervous system functioning through observed responses.
NCFSFAabbreviation: An organization’s initials identify its public education work concerning chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and related conditions.
NCLBabbreviation: A former U.S. education law required statewide testing and made schools answer for students’ academic performance.
NCQAabbreviation: A national nonprofit evaluates healthcare quality and accredits health plans, including plans that organize care through provider networks.
NEabbreviation: Norepinephrine acts as both a chemical messenger between nerve cells and a hormone released into the bloodstream.
near missphrase: A hearing pattern where louder standard sounds become slightly easier to tell apart than Weber's law predicts.
near pointnoun: The closest position where one eye can bring an object into clear focus marks its focusing limit.
near point of convergencenoun: The closest position where both eyes can maintain a single view of an object marks their inward-turning limit.
near-death experience (NDE)noun: An unusual experience reported around a life-threatening event may involve altered bodily awareness, vivid perceptions, peace, or fear.
nearsightednessnoun: Distant objects appear blurry because incoming light focuses ahead of the retina when the eye’s focusing system is relaxed.
necessary conditionphrase: Something that must be present for an event to happen, but by itself may not cause it.
neck–eye reflexnoun: An automatic response to neck movement adjusts eye position to help keep a viewed target steady.
Necker cubenoun: A transparent-looking cube drawing can appear to switch its three-dimensional orientation even though its lines remain unchanged.
necro- (necr-)prefix: This word part adds a meaning connected with death or the breakdown of living material.
necromancynoun: Some supernatural traditions claim people can contact deceased individuals to discover hidden information or predict future events.
necromanianoun: An intense preoccupation with human remains and death-related places or activities may include sexual attraction to deceased bodies.
necrophilianoun: A sexual interest centers on deceased human bodies and may include sexual activity involving them.
necrophilic fantasiesphrase: Imagined scenes involving deceased human bodies provide sexual excitement through imagined viewing or sexual activity.
necrophobianoun: A strong, lasting fear of deceased bodies exceeds what the situation reasonably calls for.
necrosisnoun: Cells in living tissue die because of damage, disease, toxic substances, or an inadequate blood supply.
NEDAabbreviation: The National Eating Disorders Association is a nonprofit supporting eating disorder education, prevention, research, and access to help.
neednoun: A tense internal state caused by lacking something important, such as food, safety, or sleep.
need arousalphrase: Advertisers encourage people to feel they need a product by linking it with something desirable, such as security or popularity.
need for achievement (n-Ach)phrase: A strong inner drive to meet challenging goals, do well, and feel proud of doing something successfully.
need for affectphrase: People differ in how strongly they seek out or avoid situations that stir emotions.
need for affectionphrase: People vary in how much closeness and loving attention they want within relationships.
need for affiliation (n-Aff)phrase: A strong wish to be with others, build close relationships, and feel accepted, especially during stressful times.
need for closurephrase: A desire for definite answers motivates people to settle judgments and decisions, sometimes before considering enough information.
need for cognitionphrase: A personality tendency makes effortful thinking enjoyable and encourages people to examine ideas in depth.
need for controlphrase: A strong desire to direct what happens and avoid feeling uncertain or helpless.
need for intimacy (n-Int)phrase: A lasting personal tendency motivates someone to seek warm, close, and emotionally rewarding connections with others.
need for power (n-Pow)phrase: A person's lasting drive to influence others and feel in control or recognized for that control.
need reductionphrase: A need becomes weaker, often after an action that satisfies it, such as eating when hungry.
need to belongphrase: People are motivated to form connections, join groups, and feel accepted, with both biological and social influences.
need to evaluatephrase: A trait that makes someone quickly judge people or things as good or bad.
need-hierarchy theoryphrase: People are motivated to meet basic needs before higher goals like self-respect and growth.
need–fear dilemmaphrase: Someone wants close relationships while also feeling afraid of the closeness they seek.
need–press theoryphrase: Murray proposed that behavior emerges as personal needs interact with environmental influences and past experiences.
needle exchange programphrase: A public health service supplies sterile injection equipment and collects used equipment to reduce infections associated with sharing needles.
needs assessmentphrase: A check of worker, job, and company gaps to decide what training is needed.
nefazodonenoun: An antidepressant changes serotonin and norepinephrine signaling, but its use is limited by the possibility of serious liver damage.
negationnoun: Understanding that a mental action can be undone by doing the opposite, a key Piaget idea.
negativenoun: Something marked by absence, opposition, or minus charge, depending on the psychological context.
negative accelerationphrase: Practice continues to improve performance, but each additional practice period produces a smaller gain.
negative adaptationphrase: Sensitivity or responding gradually decreases when stimulation continues for an extended time.
negative affectphrase: An unpleasant emotional state that happens when goals are blocked, danger is near, or things feel wrong.
Negative Affect Scalephrase: This ten-item section of PANAS asks people to rate unpleasant feelings experienced during a specified period.
negative affect syndromephrase: A proposed diagnostic grouping combines anxiety, depression, and personality disorder features within one overall clinical pattern.
negative afterimagephrase: A visual image that stays briefly after you look away, with colors reversed from the original.
negative afterpotentialphrase: After an electrical impulse, a nerve or muscle cell briefly becomes more electrically negative inside and harder to activate.
negative attitudephrase: In counseling, feeling dislike or rejection toward the therapist, the therapy, someone else, or yourself.
negative conditioned stimulusphrase: During classical conditioning, this cue occurs without the event that naturally triggers a response, unlike another cue paired with it.
negative contingencyphrase: One event makes another event less likely than it would be when the first event is absent.
negative contrastphrase: Responding to a less desirable reward decreases after experience with a better reward.
negative correlationphrase: When one thing goes up while the other goes down in a consistent pattern.
negative discriminative stimulusphrase: A cue showing that a behavior will not be rewarded, though it is rewarded in another situation.
negative emotionphrase: An unpleasant feeling, such as fear or anger, that can disrupt thinking and make goals harder to reach.
negative eugenicsphrase: A discredited ideology sought to prevent reproduction among people whose inherited traits its supporters judged undesirable.
negative exercise addictionphrase: A compulsive dependence on exercise continues despite damage to health, emotional well-being, or relationships.
negative feedbackphrase: Information that tells someone their performance was poor or needs change, often sounding critical rather than helpful.
negative hallucinationphrase: Someone fails to perceive something actually present despite looking directly at it, sometimes following hypnotic suggestion.
negative imageryphrase: Mental pictures or imagined sensations feature mistakes, unwanted results, discouragement, or unfavorable views of oneself.
negative incentivephrase: An unpleasant object or situation motivates behavior aimed at avoiding it.
negative inductionphrase: Responding to an unchanged stimulus decreases after responding to another, alternating stimulus has been reduced.
negative primingphrase: An earlier stimulus slows or weakens responding to a later one, especially when something previously ignored becomes relevant.
negative punishmentphrase: Making a behavior less likely by taking away something wanted right after the behavior happens.
negative recencyphrase: People remember items near a list’s end less successfully than items from its beginning or middle.
negative reference groupphrase: A person uses a group as an example of values and membership they deliberately reject.
negative reinforcementphrase: A behavior grows stronger when it makes something unpleasant stop, stay away, or happen later.
negative relationshipphrase: When one thing goes up while the other goes down, they have a negative relationship.
negative responsephrase: A reaction that moves away from or avoids a stimulus, meaning something that triggers a response.
negative schizophreniaphrase: A historical classification described schizophrenia dominated by reduced motivation, emotional expression, and social engagement.
negative self-talkphrase: Harsh, critical thoughts you say to yourself that can lower mood, confidence, and motivation.
negative skewphrase: A score pattern with a long tail on the low end and most scores clustered high.
negative stereotypephrase: An unfair belief that people in a group share bad or unwanted traits.
negative suggestionphrase: A statement aims to discourage or stop another person’s particular thought, feeling, or behavior.
negative symptomphrase: A symptom involves reduced or missing usual abilities or behaviors, such as motivation, emotional expression, speech, or social engagement.
negative transferphrase: Earlier learning makes a new task harder by bringing in habits or knowledge that interfere.
negative transferencephrase: When a client directs old anger toward the therapist that once belonged to important childhood relationships.
negative triadphrase: Beck proposed that depression often involves unfavorable beliefs about oneself, surrounding life, and what lies ahead.
negative tropismphrase: An organism orients or grows away from a source of stimulation, such as light.
negative-state-relief modelphrase: This hypothesis proposes that people sometimes help others because doing so may ease their own unpleasant mood.
negativismnoun: A pattern involves resisting others’ suggestions or doing the opposite of requests, often without an obvious reason.
negativistic personality disorderphrase: A historical proposed diagnosis described persistent indirect resistance, such as deliberate delays, that interfered with relationships and daily responsibilities.
negativistic responsephrase: A person resists a suggestion or acts against a request, sometimes without an apparent reason.
negativity biasphrase: Unfavorable personality traits carry more weight than favorable ones when people judge someone or explain that person’s motives.
neglectnoun: This can mean failing to meet a dependent person's basic needs, or after brain injury, not noticing one side of space.
neglect dyslexianoun: Brain damage causes reading errors involving one side of words, often producing guesses rather than simply omitted letters.
neglected childphrase: A child lacks essential care, attention, or affection needed to support health and development.
negligencenoun: Failing to use the reasonable care a situation or professional duty requires.
negligent hiringphrase: An employer can be sued for harm caused by a worker they should not have hired.
negotiationnoun: A back-and-forth discussion where people in conflict explain views and trade offers to reach a solution all can accept.
neighborhood controlnoun: A comparison group is chosen from nearby residents to share local conditions with the people being studied.
Neil v. Biggersnoun: A 1972 United States Supreme Court case established five factors for courts to consider when judging eyewitness identification reliability.
Nelson–Denny Reading Testnoun: A standardized assessment measures vocabulary, reading speed, and understanding of written passages in teenagers and adults.
Nembutalnoun: A brand name identifies pentobarbital, a barbiturate that slows nervous system activity and was historically used as a sedative.
NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI)phrase: A questionnaire that measures the Big Five personality traits using many rating-scale statements.
neo-Darwinismnoun: An evolutionary theory combines natural selection with genetics to explain how inherited differences shape species over generations.
neo-Freudianadjective: Describing theories based on Freud that changed his ideas by stressing relationships and society more than instincts.
neo-Malthusianadjective: This describes support for limiting population growth, especially through contraception and family planning, to conserve resources and protect environments.
neobehaviorismnoun: A historical psychological approach built testable theories of behavior using observations and inferred processes such as expectations or drives.
neocerebellumnoun: An evolutionarily newer cerebellar region in mammals communicates through the pons and helps coordinate skilled movements.
neocortexnoun: The six-layered tissue covering most of the human cerebrum supports perception, voluntary movement, language, and other complex thinking.
neodissociation theorynoun: Hilgard’s theory proposes that hypnosis separates mental activity into streams, allowing some processing to occur outside conscious awareness.
neolalianoun: A clinical speech pattern involves repeatedly using invented words whose meanings are usually unclear to listeners.
neolocaladjective: This describes newlyweds establishing their own household separately from both families, or a culture where that arrangement is usual.
neologismnoun: A newly invented word or phrase may enrich ordinary language or, in clinical contexts, have meanings others cannot understand.
neologistic jargonnoun: Speech combines invented expressions with words used in confusing ways, making the speaker’s message very difficult to understand.
neomammalian brainnoun: In MacLean’s outdated triune brain model, the neocortex was portrayed as the newest evolutionary layer responsible for complex thinking.
neonataladjective: Describing a newborn baby or the first weeks right after birth.
neonatal asphyxianoun: A newborn experiences insufficient oxygen and accumulating carbon dioxide because breathing or gas exchange is impaired.
Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS)noun: Brazelton’s structured assessment examines young infants’ reflexes, behavior, and responses to sights, sounds, and other stimulation.
neonatal drug dependency syndromenoun: A newborn develops withdrawal symptoms after exposure before birth to certain drugs, including opioids, ends.
neonatal imitationnoun: Newborns appear to copy actions they observe, such as facial movements, although evidence for this ability remains debated.
neonatal periodphrase: The first month after a full-term baby's birth, and longer for premature babies.
neonatenoun: A newborn baby or other animal in the first weeks after birth.
neonaticidenoun: The killing of a baby during the first 24 hours after birth falls within this category.
neonativismnoun: A developmental viewpoint proposes that substantial basic knowledge is inborn and needs little specific experience to become available.
neopalliumnoun: Another name for the neocortex identifies six-layered cerebral tissue involved in sensing, movement, and complex thought.
neophasianoun: A person develops a complex private language with distinctive vocabulary and grammatical rules that are uniquely their own.
neophenomenologynoun: A psychological approach explains actions by emphasizing how people consciously experience themselves and their situation in the present.
neophilianoun: A strong attraction to unfamiliar things encourages interest in new experiences, objects, or activities.
neophobianoun: Fear or avoidance centers on unfamiliar things or change, including reluctance to try new foods.
neoplasmnoun: An abnormal growth of cells forms a tumor that may be benign or cancerous.
Neoplatonismnoun: A philosophical tradition inspired by Plato proposes that reality flows from one ultimate source, approached through contemplation and mystical experience.
neostigminenoun: A medicine blocks acetylcholine breakdown, strengthening nerve signals to muscles and helping treat myasthenia gravis.
neostriatumnoun: This brain region includes two structures, the putamen and caudate nucleus, that help select and control movements.
neotenynoun: Development preserves features of an earlier life stage into maturity, including ancestral juvenile traits retained by adult descendants.
nephrogenic diabetes insipidusphrase: A kidney disorder where vasopressin has little effect, causing extreme thirst and large amounts of very watery urine.
nepiophilianoun: A pattern of sexual attraction focuses on infants and is considered a specific form of pedophilic interest.
Nernst equationnoun: A formula calculates the membrane voltage that exactly balances a particular ion’s tendency to move down its concentration gradient.
nervenoun: A cordlike bundle of nerve cell fibers outside the brain and spinal cord carries sensory or movement signals.
nerve blocknoun: Medication or a physical method interrupts signals traveling through a nerve, often to reduce sensation or pain.
nerve cellnoun: A specialized cell called a neuron receives and sends signals that support sensation, movement, thought, and other nervous functions.
nerve conduction studynoun: An electrical test checks how fast nerves outside the brain and spinal cord carry signals and measures their responses.
nerve deafnessnoun: Reduced hearing results from damage affecting the cochlea's sensory cells or nerves carrying sound information toward the brainstem.
nerve endingnoun: The tip of a nerve fiber can detect stimulation or pass signals to another cell, depending on its type.
nerve fibernoun: A neuron’s thin extension, called an axon, carries electrical signals toward other cells.
nerve growth factor (NGF)noun: A protein produced by the body supports the growth, development, and survival of certain sensory and sympathetic neurons.
nerve impulsephrase: A fast electrical signal travels down a nerve cell to carry messages through the nervous system.
nerve of Wrisbergnoun: This facial nerve division transmits taste messages and helps regulate tear production and the release of saliva.
nerve pathwaynoun: A connected route through nervous tissue allows signals to travel between particular locations in the body or brain.
nerve rootnoun: A bundle of fibers links a peripheral nerve directly with either the brain or the spinal cord.
nerve tissuenoun: Neurons, their extensions, and supporting cells form the body’s tissue for carrying and processing nervous signals.
nerve tractnoun: A bundle of axons travels within the brain or spinal cord, carrying signals between nervous system regions.
nerve trunknoun: The main section of a nerve contains axons traveling together before branches spread toward different tissues.
nerve–muscle preparationnoun: A muscle and its controlling motor nerve are partly or fully removed from an animal for laboratory experiments.
nerviosnoun: In some Latino communities, this cultural expression describes physical and emotional distress linked to difficult life circumstances.
nervousadjective: Related to the nervous system, the body's network that sends messages between the brain and body.
nervous breakdownnoun: An informal expression describes overwhelming emotional distress that sharply disrupts someone’s ability to manage everyday life.
nervous exhaustionnoun: An informal expression describes extreme tiredness associated with prolonged emotional pressure or strain.
nervous habitnoun: An automatic, recurring action is sometimes understood as a response to anxiety that helps a person release tension.
nervous impulsenoun: A brief electrical change travels along a nerve cell, carrying information.
nervous prostrationnoun: An older everyday expression describes sudden, severe emotional distress that greatly disrupts daily functioning.
nervous systemphrase: A bodywide network of brain, spinal cord, and nerves that receives information and controls actions and body functions.
nervous tissuenoun: Nerve cells and their extensions form this tissue, sometimes understood to include supporting cells called glia.
nervousnessnoun: An uneasy, tense feeling with shakiness and worry, often showing anxiety or fear.
nervus terminalisnoun: A small nerve reaching the nasal lining may help regulate reproductive hormones, although its functions remain uncertain.
NESabbreviation: The abbreviation can mean Neurological Evaluation Scale or nonepileptic seizure, an episode resembling epilepsy without its characteristic electrical discharge.
nest buildingnoun: Animals prepare a place for eggs or young through parental behavior influenced by hormones, surroundings, and experience.
nested designnoun: A study organizes its sample into smaller units contained within larger groups, such as students within classrooms.
nested modelnoun: A statistical model accounts for smaller units or variables organized within larger groups or higher levels.
nestingnoun: In a study, each category of one factor belongs exclusively to one category of another factor.
networknoun: A set of connected people, brain cells, or ideas that affect one another.
network analysisnoun: Researchers examine connections among people or other units to understand relationship patterns and their effects on the wider system.
network effectnoun: In Foulkes's account, a person's surrounding relationships influence how mental health problems develop.
network samplingnoun: Study participants directly recruit peers under set rules, with incentives offered for joining and recruiting.
network therapynoun: A treatment that includes family, friends, and neighbors to provide support and practical help.
network-analysis evaluationnoun: An evaluation examines connected services through the organizations involved or through people's movement between those services.
network-memory modelnoun: A theory describes lasting memories as connected knowledge units, with links shaped by repetition and other experiences.
networkingnoun: Building relationships with people who may share information, support, or job opportunities that help your career.
Neudextanoun: A medicine sold as Nuedexta pairs quinidine with dextromethorphan to treat uncontrolled episodes of laughing or crying.
neur-prefix: This word part connects a word's meaning to nerves or the body's nervous system.
neuraladjective: Related to the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and how they work.
neural arcnoun: A nerve pathway carries signals from a sensory receptor to a responding muscle or gland.
neural axisnoun: The expression can mean the entire brain and spinal cord or only their central midline structures.
neural chainnoun: A simple circuit links nerve cells in sequence so signals pass from one cell to the next.
neural circuitnoun: A connected arrangement of nerve cells processes signals, often supporting a particular function.
neural codingphrase: Patterns in nerve cell firing carry specific information, such as color, sound, or movement.
neural conductionnoun: An electrical nerve signal moves along a nerve cell's fiber.
neural constructivismnoun: A theory proposes that brain growth and experience continually shape each other as thinking abilities develop.
neural correlatenoun: A physical event in nerve tissue is associated with a particular mental experience or process.
neural crestnoun: An embryonic group of cells beside the forming neural tube produces many peripheral nerve structures and other tissues.
neural Darwinismnoun: Edelman's theory proposes that selection among groups of neurons shapes brain development and function by strengthening some connections over others.
neural facilitationnoun: Repeated or combined incoming signals make a neuron more likely to produce an electrical impulse.
neural fibrilnoun: A fine threadlike structure inside a nerve cell consists of tiny protein filaments and tubes.
neural foldsnoun: Raised edges of an embryo's neural plate move together and join, creating the neural tube.
neural groovenoun: A lengthwise dip forms between the embryo's neural folds before they join into a tube.
neural impulsenoun: A traveling electrical change called an action potential carries a signal along a nerve cell.
neural inductionnoun: In the supplied sense, nerve cells influence how other cells develop, especially cells becoming neurons.
neural integrationnoun: A neuron combines incoming electrical influences, with their overall effect determining whether it fires.
neural irritabilitynoun: Nerve tissue can respond to stimulation by generating electrical impulses through brief movements of charged particles across cell membranes.
neural networknoun: A model linking many simple brain-like units to simulate how thinking and perception may arise.
neural parenchymanoun: The working tissue of nerve structures performs their main functions, rather than merely providing structural support.
neural pathwayphrase: A chain of nerve cells carries messages along a specific route in the nervous system.
neural plasticitynoun: Nerve cells and their connections can change their activity or structure as experience and surroundings change.
neural platenoun: A thickened patch on an embryo's outer surface folds into a tube that later forms the brain and spinal cord.
neural progenitor cell (NPC)noun: An immature cell can divide a limited number of times and develop into specialized cells of the nervous system.
neural quantum theorynoun: A proposed explanation of sensory judgments treats changes in sensation as separate steps based on all-or-none nerve activity.
neural receptornoun: A molecule on a nerve cell's membrane binds particular chemical messengers and starts a response inside the cell.
neural regenerationnoun: Damaged nerve cells or their extensions regrow, with recovery depending strongly on the species and location.
neural reinforcementnoun: One neuron's response becomes stronger through another neuron's activity occurring alongside it or in a dependent relationship.
neural representationnoun: Patterns of brain activity encode information about experiences and help guide responses to the world.
neural reservenoun: A hypothesis proposes that available brain resources help maintain functioning despite damage, delaying the appearance of noticeable difficulties.
neural retinanoun: The eye's retinal nerve layers detect light, process visual information, and send signals toward the brain.
neural satiationnoun: Neurons respond less strongly or temporarily stop responding after intense stimulation of their area or nearby tissue.
neural setnoun: A nerve pathway has a readiness, often temporary, to respond in a particular way.
neural stem cellnoun: An unspecialized cell can repeatedly renew itself and develop into different kinds of cells within the nervous system.
neural substratenoun: A particular set of nerve structures supports or carries out a behavior or mental process.
neural synchronynoun: Groups of neurons coordinate the timing of their activity, sometimes across different brain regions responding to the same event.
neural transmissionnoun: Nerve cells pass signals to other cells using chemical messengers or direct electrical connections.
neural tubenoun: An early embryo structure that folds into the brain and spinal cord during prenatal development.
neuralgianoun: Pain follows a nerve's path and often returns in sudden, sharp bursts.
neurasthenianoun: A historical diagnosis grouped tiredness, weakness, sleep difficulties, and bodily discomfort under the proposed idea of exhausted nerves.
neuraxisnoun: The brain and spinal cord together, or their central midline structures, can be described using this anatomical name.
neuritenoun: An extension growing from a nerve cell's main body may be an axon or dendrite.
neuritic plaquenoun: A brain deposit containing beta-amyloid protein and surrounding damaged nerve extensions is associated with Alzheimer's disease.
neuritisnoun: A nerve becomes inflamed, sometimes because of infection or an immune system attack.
neuro- (neur-)prefix: This word part adds a meaning connected with nerves, the brain, or related systems.
neuroanatomynoun: The study of how the nervous system's parts are built and connected.
neurobiofeedbacknoun: Training uses displays or sounds based on recorded brain waves to help people practice changing that activity.
neurobiologynoun: The study of how the nervous system is built and how it works.
neurobiotaxisnoun: In an embryo, a growing neuron extension advances toward its future destination, where it will establish a signaling connection.
neuroblastnoun: An immature cell has the potential to develop into a working nerve cell.
neuroblastomanoun: A cancer develops from immature nerve cells, often in adrenal glands or nerves that control automatic body functions.
neurochemistrynoun: This scientific field examines how chemicals enable and influence activity in nerves and the brain.
neurocognitionnoun: Thinking and memory seen in terms of the brain systems that create them and can break down.
neurocognitive testingnoun: Structured tasks measure thinking skills, including memory, attention, and language, to assess functioning and track changes.
neurocontrolnoun: Signals recorded from nerves or the brain are converted into commands that operate electronic devices.
neurocrineadjective: This describes neurons releasing receptor-activating chemicals at cell junctions, or the chemicals they release.
neurodegenerative diseasephrase: A worsening illness destroys nerve cells over time, harming memory, thinking, movement, speech, or behavior.
neurodermatitisnoun: An itchy, irritated skin patch can be linked with stress and worsens through repeated scratching or rubbing.
neurodevelopmental hypothesisnoun: One theory proposes that brain disruptions before or shortly after birth contribute to schizophrenia emerging later.
neurodidacticsnoun: This field connects brain research with learning research to explore improvements in teaching and lesson design.
neurodivergentadjective: This describes people whose ways of thinking, learning, or processing information differ from the most common neurological patterns.
neuroeconomicsnoun: This field combines brain science, psychology, and economics to study choices involving value, rewards, costs, and uncertainty.
neuroeducationnoun: Researchers combine knowledge about brains, learning, and education to investigate how teaching might become more effective.
neuroeffector junctionnoun: A nerve cell connects functionally with muscle tissue or a gland at this signaling site.
neuroeffector transmissionnoun: Nerve cells deliver signals across specialized connections to muscles or glands, influencing their activity.
neuroendocrinologynoun: This field studies how nerve activity and hormones influence one another to coordinate body functions.
neuroethicsnoun: This field examines ethical questions about brain research and how its findings and technologies are used.
neuroethologynoun: Researchers study how nonhuman animals' nervous systems produce behaviors characteristic of their lives and species.
neurofeedbacknoun: People practice adjusting brain activity while receiving sounds or visual feedback from measurements of their brain waves.
neurofibrilnoun: Within a neuron, a delicate strand contains tiny protein threads and hollow tubes that contribute to its internal framework.
neurofibrillary tanglesnoun: Twisted clumps of tau, a cell-support protein, inside neurons are a common sign of Alzheimer's disease.
neurofibromanoun: A usually noncancerous tumor grows within a peripheral nerve, involving Schwann cells and other supporting tissues.
neurofibromatosisnoun: A group of genetic conditions causes tumors along nerves and can affect other tissues and body functions.
neurofilamentnoun: A thin protein strand inside a nerve cell helps support its shape, especially within its axon.
neurogenesisnoun: The brain and nervous system make new nerve cells from early growth through the whole lifespan.
neurogeneticsnoun: This field studies how genetic differences influence nerve and brain development, functioning, and vulnerability to related conditions.
neurogenicadjective: This describes a condition or event originating in nerve cells or other nervous system structures.
neurogenic communication disordernoun: A speech or language difficulty arises from impaired nerve or brain functioning and affects communication with others.
neuroglianoun: Cells other than neurons support, nourish, protect, and help regulate nerve cells and their surroundings.
neurogliomanoun: A tumor arises from cells associated with the brain's or spinal cord's supporting glial tissues.
neurogramnoun: A proposed physical trace of a memory in brain tissue can be called by this name.
neurohormonenoun: A hormone made by nerve cells enters the bloodstream to carry signals to other parts of the body.
neurohypophysisnoun: The pituitary's rear portion stores and releases oxytocin and vasopressin, which are made in the hypothalamus.
neuroimagingnoun: Using special scans to study brain structure and activity without surgery or entering the body.
neuroimmuneadjective: This describes interactions linking immune defenses with activity in the brain and spinal cord.
neuroinflammationnoun: Immune activity produces an inflammatory response in neural tissue, potentially helping protection or contributing to problems.
neurokininnoun: One of a related group of small protein messengers helps nerve cells communicate, including in pain and emotion processes.
neurolawnoun: This field explores how brain science can inform legal questions, evidence, and judgments about responsibility.
neurolepticnoun: A medicine that reduces psychosis, such as hallucinations, delusions, and severely disorganized thinking.
neuroleptic malignant syndromephrase: A rare, life-threatening reaction to antipsychotic drugs causing fever, unstable blood pressure, breathing problems, and confusion.
neuroleptic syndromenoun: An older description groups reduced movement, emotional responsiveness, alert engagement, and coordination that can occur after antipsychotic medication.
neurolinguistic programming (NLP)noun: A proposed approach aims to improve communication and behavior by changing mental patterns through language and experience.
neurolinguisticsnoun: This field studies how the brain organizes language and enables people to understand and produce it.
neurological amnesianoun: Memory is lost or weakened because disease or injury affects the brain or related neural structures.
neurological disorderphrase: A disease or injury affecting the brain, spinal cord, or nerves that can change movement, thinking, or feelings.
neurological evaluationphrase: A doctor's review of brain, nerve, movement, and thinking functions to check how the nervous system is working.
Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES)noun: A standardized assessment measures neurological difficulties and was originally designed for research involving people with schizophrenia.
neurological impairmentphrase: Problems in the nervous system caused by illness, injury, or substances that disrupt how the brain and body work.
neurologynoun: The medical specialty focused on the brain, nerves, and spinal cord in health and disease.
neuromarketingnoun: Market researchers measure brain activity and related bodily responses to study consumer preferences and buying decisions.
neuromatrix theorynoun: A proposed explanation holds that brain activity patterns create pain, sometimes without fresh injury or signals from damaged tissue.
neuromodulatornoun: A chemical adjusts nerve signaling by changing how much neurotransmitter is released or how strongly receiving cells respond.
neuromuscular disordernoun: A medical condition affects muscles, the nerves controlling them, or their connections, often causing weakness or difficulty moving.
neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)noun: A treatment uses electrical pulses to make muscles contract, helping support muscle strength and movement during rehabilitation.
neuromuscular junctionphrase: The spot where a motor nerve signals a muscle fiber to contract.
neuromuscular systemnoun: Skeletal muscles, their nerve connections, and movement control centers in the brain and spinal cord work together to produce movement.
neuromyopathynoun: A medical condition affects both nerve tissue and muscles, potentially disrupting strength, movement, or muscle control.
neuron (neurone)noun: A nerve cell that receives, processes, and sends information through the body and brain.
neuron doctrinenoun: This principle explains that nervous tissue contains separate nerve cells that communicate through connections rather than forming one continuous cell network.
neuronal cell deathnoun: During nervous system development, genetic instructions cause selected nerve cells to die as part of normal growth and organization.
neuronal differentiationnoun: Developing nerve cells become specialized, growing branches and longer extensions that allow them to establish connections with other cells.
neuronal group selectionnoun: A proposed theory explains brain development and functioning through the selective strengthening and weakening of groups of connected nerve cells.
neuronal nicotinic receptor genesnoun: These genes provide instructions for receptor parts that respond to acetylcholine and nicotine, helping control electrical signaling in cells.
neuronal regenerationnoun: Injured nerve cells regrow damaged parts, with recovery generally more successful in peripheral nerves than in the brain or spinal cord.
neuronal transmissionnoun: Nerve cells pass signals to other cells through chemical messengers or direct electrical connections.
neuronenoun: A specialized nerve cell receives, processes, and sends information using electrical activity and chemical signals.
Neurontinnoun: This brand name identifies gabapentin, a medicine used to manage certain seizures and nerve pain following shingles.
neuroparalytic ophthalmianoun: Damage to the trigeminal nerve can cause inflammation and possible sores in the cornea, the eye's clear front surface.
neuropathic painphrase: Ongoing or sudden pain that comes from injured nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.
neuropathologynoun: The study of diseases that damage the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
neuropathynoun: Disease or damage affects nerves, especially those outside the brain and spinal cord, potentially changing sensation, strength, or control.
neuropedagogynoun: An interdisciplinary field studies how brains support learning and explores ways that knowledge might improve teaching.
neuropeptidenoun: A short chain of amino acids acts as a chemical messenger when nerve cells release it.
neuropeptide Ynoun: This peptide messenger helps regulate eating and can narrow blood vessels, acting in the brain and other body tissues.
neuropharmacologynoun: This scientific field investigates how drugs change the activity of nerve cells and nervous system networks.
neurophysiologynoun: This branch of neuroscience examines how nerve cells and nervous system networks function, including their electrical and chemical activity.
neuropilnoun: A dense mesh of nerve cell branches and supporting cell extensions fills spaces between cell bodies in gray matter.
neuroplasticitynoun: The brain can change its connections and functions through experience, learning, injury, or recovery.
neuroprotectiveadjective: An agent described this way is thought to help shield brain or spinal cord tissue from damage.
neuropsychological assessmentphrase: A set of tests used to find and describe problems in how the brain is working.
Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (NAB)noun: This named set of 33 tests evaluates adults' attention, language, memory, spatial skills, and planning abilities, with an additional screening module.
neuropsychological testphrase: A clinical test that checks thinking skills like memory, attention, language, and visual-spatial abilities after brain problems.
neuropsychologynoun: Studies how brain and nervous system processes relate to behavior, thinking, and problems after brain injury.
neuroreceptornoun: A molecule on a nerve cell's surface binds particular chemical messengers or drugs and triggers a response inside that cell.
neuroregulatornoun: A chemical influences nerve cell activity, serving as a neurotransmitter, neuromodulator, or hormone released by nervous tissue.
neurosciencenoun: The scientific study of nervous systems explores how their structure and activity support behavior, thought, and bodily functions.
neurosecretionnoun: Nervous tissue releases chemical substances, including hormones and neurotransmitters, that can carry signals to other cells.
neurosecretory cellnoun: A specialized cell in nervous tissue releases hormones into nearby blood vessels or the wider bloodstream.
neurosignaturenoun: Within neuromatrix theory, a particular pattern of nerve activity is proposed to produce an experience such as pain.
neurosisnoun: An older label for serious anxiety problems without losing touch with reality.
neurosurgerynoun: Operations on nervous system structures treat disease or injury and aim to protect or recover abilities.
neurosyphilisnoun: Syphilis bacteria infect the nervous system, sometimes causing changes in memory, behavior, movement, or sensation.
neurotensin (NT)noun: This peptide messenger occurs widely in brain and spinal tissue and can enter the bloodstream after release from the hypothalamus.
neurotherapynoun: A form of biofeedback uses live displays or sounds of recorded brain activity to help people practice changing that activity.
neurotic anxietyphrase: Distress from unconscious inner conflict that disrupts feelings and behavior and can block treatment.
neurotic characternoun: An older psychoanalytic label described enduring personality difficulties that were classified as a personality disorder.
neurotic conflictnoun: Psychoanalytic theories propose that clashing inner wishes or needs can produce lasting emotional distress and difficulties managing life.
neurotic depressionnoun: An older label described either depression following distressing events or a persistent depressive condition formerly called dysthymia.
neurotic inventorynoun: A questionnaire estimates a person's tendency toward emotional distress by asking whether they agree with statements drawn from clinical accounts.
neurotic neednoun: Horney proposed that efforts to manage deep insecurity can develop into excessive demands for approval, power, independence, or other goals.
neurotic solutionnoun: Horney proposed that people may manage distressing inner conflicts by keeping those conflicts outside conscious awareness.
neurotic trendnoun: Horney proposed three rigid ways of managing insecurity: seeking closeness, withdrawing into independence, or competing for control.
neuroticismnoun: A personality trait marked by frequent negative emotions, emotional ups and downs, and sensitivity to stress.
neurotoxicologynoun: This scientific field investigates how toxic substances alter or damage nerve cells and nervous system functioning.
neurotoxinnoun: A substance can disrupt or damage nervous tissue, producing effects that may be temporary or lasting.
neurotransmissionnoun: Messages pass from one nerve cell to another, or to muscle or glands, through chemical or electrical signals.
neurotransmitternoun: A chemical messenger released by one neuron that crosses a synapse and changes another neuron's activity.
neurotransmitter receptorphrase: A protein on or in a nerve cell that binds a neurotransmitter and starts or changes signaling.
neurotrophinnoun: A member of this protein family supports the growth, development, and survival of particular kinds of nerve cells.
neurulationnoun: Early in embryonic development, a sheet of cells folds into a tube that will form brain and spinal tissue.
neutral colornoun: A color without any hue appears as black, white, or some level of gray.
neutral monismnoun: A philosophical view proposes that mind and matter arise from one underlying reality that is itself neither mental nor physical.
neutral pointnoun: For someone with two cone pigment types, one particular light wavelength appears white or gray instead of having a hue.
neutral stimulusphrase: A cue that at first does not trigger the response being studied in classical conditioning.
neutralitynoun: Staying nonjudgmental and not telling people what is right, wrong, or how they should act.
neutralizationnoun: Classical psychoanalysis proposed that energy from sexual or aggressive drives could lose its original aim and support thinking or creativity.
neutralizernoun: A therapy group member helps other members moderate impulsive or disruptive behavior and maintain workable interactions.
Nevo syndromenoun: This historical syndrome combines unusually long body length at birth, weak muscle tone, spinal curvature, and unusually flexible joints.
New Age therapynoun: These alternative treatments make healing claims that lack dependable scientific support, often relying on personal experiences or founders’ beliefs.
new-look theorynoun: This theory proposes that dissonance arises when people accept responsibility for unwanted consequences and attribute unpleasant bodily arousal to them.
Newman–Keuls multiple comparison testnoun: This statistical test compares ordered group averages in steps after an overall analysis finds evidence of differences.
Newton’s law of color mixturenoun: This principle says that combining color mixtures that look alike produces a mixture with that same perceived color.
Newtonian viewnoun: This optical setup lets light from a visual display enter across the pupil rather than only through its center.
nexusnoun: A connection links people or things, sometimes through mutual dependence or a relationship involving cause and effect.
Neyman–Pearson theorynoun: This statistical approach sets rules for testing competing hypotheses while controlling false alarms and trying to reduce missed effects.
NGFabbreviation: Nerve growth factor is a protein the body makes that supports the development and survival of certain nerve cells.
NGRIabbreviation: A legal verdict saying a person was mentally unable to understand or control the crime.
NGTabbreviation: The nominal group technique organizes private idea generation, group discussion, and anonymous voting to reduce pressure to agree with others.
NGUabbreviation: Nongonococcal urethritis is inflammation of the urine outlet tube caused by an infection other than gonorrhea, often chlamydia.
NHabbreviation: The null hypothesis is a statistical starting claim, often stating that an effect or relationship is absent.
NHISabbreviation: The National Health Interview Survey gathers health information from United States civilians living outside institutions through interviews.
NHSTabbreviation: Null hypothesis significance testing assesses how unusual observed data would be under a starting hypothesis to guide whether to reject it.
niacinnoun: This B vitamin, also called nicotinic acid, helps make molecules that cells need to release energy from food.
nicotinenoun: A stimulant drug in tobacco that boosts alertness, changes brain chemicals, and can quickly cause dependence.
nicotine dependencenoun: An older diagnostic label describes persistent nicotine use despite serious problems, often involving tolerance and symptoms when use stops.
nicotine fadingnoun: This quitting approach gradually lowers nicotine exposure by reducing cigarette nicotine content or smoking frequency, aiming to ease withdrawal.
nicotine replacement therapyphrase: A quit-tobacco treatment that gives nicotine from safer products to reduce withdrawal and cravings.
nicotine withdrawalnoun: Mood, sleep, attention, appetite, and bodily changes can follow stopping or reducing nicotine after prolonged heavy use.
nicotinic acidnoun: This form of vitamin B3 helps produce energy-processing molecules, and a severe shortage causes the illness pellagra.
nicotinic acid deficiencynoun: A severe shortage of niacin causes pellagra, an illness affecting skin, digestion, and nervous system function, sometimes including confusion.
nicotinic receptor (nAchR)noun: This cell membrane protein responds to acetylcholine and nicotine, opening an ion channel that usually increases electrical activity.
nictitating membranenoun: A clear or partly clear third eyelid slides across the eye in many animals, and its movement can be conditioned.
NIDDMabbreviation: Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is an older name for type 2 diabetes, involving reduced insulin effectiveness or insufficient insulin release.
Niemann–Pick diseasenoun: This group of inherited disorders causes fatty substances to accumulate inside cells, affecting organs and, in some forms, the brain.
night blindnessnoun: This vision difficulty makes seeing in low light unusually hard and may result from inherited conditions or vitamin A deficiency.
night hospitalnoun: A hospital service provides psychiatric treatment overnight while allowing people to spend daytime hours in their communities.
night terrornoun: An episode of intense fear and bodily arousal occurs during partial awakening from deep non-REM sleep, usually with little recall.
night-eating syndromenoun: This eating disorder involves repeated excessive evening or nighttime eating, often alongside sleep difficulties and little appetite in the morning.
nightmarenoun: A scary upsetting dream during REM sleep that often wakes the sleeper fully alert.
nightmare disorderphrase: Repeated, upsetting dreams wake the person up, are clearly remembered, and cause serious distress or daily problems.
nightmare-death syndromenoun: This historical label describes unexpected deaths during sleep reported among Southeast Asian populations, sometimes interpreted through cultural beliefs about nightmares.
nigrostriatal tractnoun: A dopamine-carrying brain pathway connects the substantia nigra with the striatum and helps regulate voluntary movement.
nihilismnoun: In clinical use, a person firmly believes that their body, mind, or surrounding world has stopped existing.
nilutamidenoun: This antiandrogen medication blocks the effects of hormones such as testosterone on tissues that respond to them.
NIMHabbreviation: A U.S. federal agency funds and conducts studies of mental health conditions, brain function, and behavior.
ninth cranial nervenoun: The glossopharyngeal nerve carries sensory and movement signals involved in swallowing and taste from the back of the tongue.
nirvananoun: In Buddhist and some Hindu traditions, spiritual liberation ends suffering and the cycle of rebirth, with meanings varying across traditions.
nirvana principlenoun: Freud’s historical theory proposed that living processes seek complete release from tension, ultimately approaching the stillness of nonliving matter.
Nissl bodiesnoun: Clusters of ribosomes and rough endoplasmic reticulum inside neurons make proteins and absorb dyes used to examine nerve cells.
Nissl methodnoun: This laboratory staining approach highlights protein-making structures in neurons so researchers can examine cell bodies under a microscope.
nisusnoun: In Leibniz’s philosophy, each basic unit of existence, called a monad, has an inner tendency toward fulfilling its built-in purpose.
Nitomannoun: This Canadian brand name identifies tetrabenazine, a medication that reduces certain brain chemical stores to help control excessive involuntary movements.
nitrazepamnoun: This long-lasting benzodiazepine medication slows nervous system activity to promote sleep and can build up in the body with repeated doses.
nitric oxidenoun: This gas made within the body helps nerve cells communicate and relaxes smooth muscles, including those surrounding blood vessels.
nitrous oxidenoun: This gas reduces pain during medical and dental procedures and can also produce feelings of lightness, excitement, or euphoria.
Nizoralnoun: This brand name identifies ketoconazole, an antifungal medicine that can affect steroid production and interact with some psychiatric medications.
NK cellabbreviation: A natural killer cell is an immune cell that recognizes and removes certain infected cells and cells that have become cancerous.
NLDabbreviation: Nonverbal learning disorder describes difficulties processing information beyond words, especially visual and spatial information, which can affect learning and social understanding.
NLPabbreviation: Neurolinguistic programming proposes changing mental patterns through language and related techniques to improve behavior and communication, but scientific support is limited.
nmabbreviation: This symbol means nanometer, a length unit equal to a meter divided into one billion equal parts.
NMDAabbreviation: A lab chemical that turns on certain brain receptors, which open only with both a chemical signal and voltage change.
NMDA receptornoun: A brain cell glutamate receptor opens only with the right chemical and electrical state, helping learning and ketamine effects.
NMHAabbreviation: These initials once named National Mental Health Association, the U.S. nonprofit now called Mental Health America.
NMRabbreviation: Nuclear magnetic resonance involves atomic nuclei responding to magnetic fields and radio waves, producing detectable signals used in imaging.
NNATabbreviation: The Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test measures students’ reasoning with visual patterns while limiting demands on language skills.
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)noun: A former United States education law used standardized testing and school accountability to improve achievement and reduce learning gaps.
no excusephrase: A reality therapy principle holds that clients bear full responsibility for their actions and cannot excuse them through outside causes.
no-suicide contractphrase: A client's promise to a therapist not to attempt suicide for a set time, usually until next contact.
no-treatment control groupphrase: A comparison group gets no intervention, so researchers can judge what changes happen without treatment.
noble savagenoun: A historical stereotype idealized people in nonindustrial societies as naturally virtuous and portrayed civilization as corrupting.
nocebonoun: A harmful or unpleasant symptom caused by taking an inactive treatment because you expect bad effects.
nociceptinnoun: A peptide made by the body activates nociceptin receptors and helps regulate pain signaling and other nervous system functions.
nociceptionnoun: The nervous system detects and processes signals from stimuli that could damage body tissues, without necessarily producing conscious pain.
nociceptive reflexnoun: An automatic protective response occurs when a stimulus is painful or could damage body tissue.
nociceptornoun: A nerve ending that reacts to possible tissue damage and sends pain signals.
noctambulationnoun: A person gets up and walks while still asleep, usually during deep sleep and with little later memory.
nocti- (noct-)prefix: This word part adds the meaning of night to the words it helps form.
noctiphilia (noctophilia)noun: A person has a strong liking for nighttime or dark surroundings.
nocturianoun: A person wakes during their usual sleep period because they need to pass urine.
nocturnaladjective: Happening at night or during the usual dark part of the day-night cycle.
nocturnal emissionnoun: Semen is released without deliberate control during sleep, sometimes alongside a sexual dream.
nocturnal enuresisphrase: Repeated bedwetting during sleep in a child old enough to usually stay dry at night.
nocturnal myoclonusnoun: Brief, involuntary muscle jerks occur as someone falls asleep and may sometimes wake them.
nodal behaviornoun: In group therapy, a burst of heightened, sometimes challenging or disorderly activity precedes a quieter phase.
nodal pointnoun: An optical reference point inside the eye links directions in the viewed scene with corresponding positions on the retina.
nodenoun: In memory models, one connected unit represents a concept or feature whose activity can increase or decrease.
node of Ranviernoun: A tiny gap between insulating sections along a nerve fiber allows electrical signals to regenerate and travel quickly.
noëgenesisnoun: In Spearman’s theory, new knowledge develops by noticing experiences, discovering relationships, and applying those relationships elsewhere.
noesisnoun: In psychology, this means the activity of thinking, understanding, and other intellectual processes.
noeticadjective: In Tulving’s framework, this describes knowing facts or meanings without mentally revisiting a personal episode connected to them.
noisenoun: Unwanted sound or other interference that makes a signal, message, or task harder to notice or measure.
noise abatementnoun: Rules, planning, or technology reduce unwanted sound in an environment.
noise dosenoun: A percentage compares a worker’s accumulated sound exposure with an allowed exposure limit, accounting for sound level and duration.
noise effectsnoun: Unwanted sound can trigger bodily stress and interfere with sleep, concentration, task performance, and behavior.
noise pollutionnoun: Unwanted sound in the surroundings disrupts comfort, daily activities, or health.
noise-induced hearing lossnoun: Exposure to loud sound reduces hearing ability, often after repeated or lengthy exposure.
nomadismnoun: Historically, clinicians used this label for repeated wandering and changes of home or work that disrupted everyday functioning.
nomifensinenoun: A former antidepressant blocked dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake but was withdrawn after serious adverse reactions.
nominaladjective: Using labels or numbers only to show category membership, not order or amount.
nominal aphasianoun: A language difficulty mainly affects finding names for objects, while speech often remains fluent and everyday understanding relatively preserved.
nominal classificationnoun: Items are sorted by shared purpose or category membership, such as placing different vehicles together.
nominal dataphrase: Numbers used only as labels for different groups, not to show amount or order.
nominal groupnoun: Researchers combine separate individuals’ work into a comparison group whose members do not interact as a working team.
nominal group technique (NGT)noun: A structured decision method combines independent idea generation, group clarification, and private voting to reduce pressure to agree.
nominal leadernoun: A person holds the official leadership title but does not carry out the work of guiding the group.
nominal realismnoun: Someone treats an object’s name as part of its actual nature, rather than as a label people assign.
nominal scalephrase: Uses numbers or names only as labels for separate categories, with no ranking or amount implied.
nominal stimulusnoun: In an experiment, this is the input the researcher specifies and presents, which may differ from what actually controls behavior.
nominal variablephrase: Has values that are names or groups with no natural order, such as favorite color.
nominalismnoun: A philosophical view holds that particular things exist independently, while general categories are names or mental groupings.
nominativenoun: In grammar, this case marks the subject role for nouns, pronouns, and phrases built around nouns.
nominative selfnoun: In William James’s psychology, the “I” is the self doing the knowing, including knowing things about itself.
nomological networknoun: A theoretical framework connects a concept with related ideas, expected relationships, and ways to measure them.
nomological validitynoun: A measure gains support when its relationships with other measures fit the theory of the concept being measured.
nomologynoun: A scientific approach seeks general laws that explain events, especially through cause and effect.
nomotheticadjective: Focused on finding general rules by studying many people rather than one person's unique case.
nomothetic scorenoun: A result measures a characteristic shared across everyone tested, allowing comparison between people.
non compos mentisphrase: An older legal expression describes someone considered unable to make legally responsible decisions because of their mental condition.
non sequiturnoun: A conclusion lacks a logical connection to the reasons offered, even if the conclusion happens to be true.
non-Duchenne smilenoun: A smile raises the mouth’s corners without the eye muscle contraction characteristic of a Duchenne smile.
non-REM sleepphrase: The quieter stages of sleep without vivid dreaming, when the body slows down and restores itself.
non-veridical perceptionnoun: A sensory experience differs from external reality, either by misinterpreting something present or experiencing something without a matching outside stimulus.
non-Western therapiesnoun: A broad label groups healing approaches developed mainly outside European and North American medical traditions, including acupuncture and yoga.
non-zero-sum gamenoun: An interaction allows combined gains and losses to differ from zero, so one person’s benefit need not cost another.
nonaccidental propertiesnoun: Visual features that usually remain stable across viewing angles help people recognize objects despite changes in perspective.
nonactional verbnoun: A verb expresses a state, experience, or occurrence instead of a physical action performed by someone.
nonadaptive traitnoun: A characteristic neither improves nor reduces reproductive success in the environment being considered.
nonadditiveadjective: Separate measurements or effects cannot simply be added together to accurately describe their combined result.
nonadherencenoun: When a person does not follow a treatment plan, often because of barriers, confusion, or side effects.
nonaggressive societynoun: A community values peaceful relations, discourages aggression, and places less importance on gaining power or competing for achievement.
nonamnestic mild cognitive impairmentnoun: A small but noticeable decline affects thinking skills other than memory while everyday independence remains largely intact.
nonassociative learningnoun: Experience changes a response to a stimulus without learning a connection between that stimulus and another event.
nonattitudenoun: An extremely weak opinion changes easily, has little influence on behavior, and may lack any settled judgment.
nonbinaryadjective: Having a gender identity that is not only male or only female.
noncardiac chest painnoun: Repeated chest discomfort arises from causes other than heart disease, such as digestive problems, muscle conditions, or anxiety.
noncentral distributionnoun: A probability distribution has a nonzero noncentrality parameter, often describing test results when the tested null hypothesis is false.
noncentrality parameternoun: A number describes how certain statistical distributions depart from their central versions, helping calculate a test's ability to detect effects.
noncommunicating hydrocephalusnoun: Brain fluid builds up because a blockage prevents its normal passage through the brain's connected fluid spaces.
noncompetitiveadjective: In pharmacology, a drug changes receptor activity by attaching somewhere other than the body's usual signaling molecule attaches.
noncompliancenoun: Failing to follow a treatment plan, medication schedule, or other agreed health instructions.
nonconformitynoun: Acting, judging, or speaking differently from what a group expects, whether by choice, ignorance, or inability.
nonconsciousadjective: Mental activity occurs outside awareness and cannot be directly noticed or described through self-examination.
nonconscious processesnoun: Mental operations happen outside awareness, even when their results become something a person consciously notices.
noncontingent reinforcementphrase: Giving a rewarding stimulus on a set schedule no matter what the person does.
nondeclarative memoryphrase: Memory that works automatically, helping skills and responses improve without conscious recall of learning episodes.
nondecremental conductionnoun: A nerve signal travels along an axon without shrinking because the signal is regenerated as it moves.
nondemand pleasuringnoun: Partners practice enjoyable touch without expecting sexual arousal, excluding breasts and genitals, to reduce pressure during sex therapy.
nondirected discussion methodnoun: Participants guide a conversation about an assigned topic without a leader steering it or setting discussion rules.
nondirectional hypothesisnoun: A research prediction says that groups will differ without saying which group will have higher or lower results.
nondirectional testnoun: A statistical procedure checks for evidence of an effect in either direction rather than selecting one direction beforehand.
nondirective approachnoun: A therapist supports and clarifies a client's exploration while allowing the client to guide what they discuss and discover.
nondirective counselingnoun: A counselor uses empathy, acceptance, and clarification to help clients explore their experiences and choose their own direction.
nondirective interviewnoun: An interviewer allows a flexible conversation, adapting questions and following responses instead of using a fixed question sequence.
nondirective play therapynoun: A child guides therapeutic play while an accepting therapist supports expression and exploration without directing activities or assigning meanings.
nondirective teaching modelnoun: A teaching approach associated with Carl Rogers supports students in understanding themselves and taking increasing responsibility for their learning.
nondirective therapynoun: A therapist offers understanding and acceptance while clients lead exploration of their feelings, difficulties, and possible changes.
nondiscriminated avoidancenoun: An organism learns actions that prevent or postpone an unpleasant event without a separate signal warning that it is approaching.
nondisjunctionnoun: When chromosome pairs fail to split during cell division, one new cell gets too many.
nonepileptic seizure (NES)noun: A sudden event can look like an epilepsy seizure, although it does not result from the electrical activity responsible for epilepsy.
nonequivalent-groups designnoun: Researchers compare treatment and comparison groups before and after treatment without randomly assigning people, allowing preexisting differences to influence results.
nonexercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)noun: The body spends energy on ordinary movements, such as cleaning or fidgeting, that occur outside planned exercise.
nonexperimentaladjective: Research lacks deliberate changes to studied factors or random placement of participants into conditions, limiting conclusions about cause and effect.
nonexperimental researchnoun: Researchers study situations without random assignment and often without controlling the factors being studied or other influences.
nonfluencynoun: Speech is disrupted by difficulties with rhythm, intonation, clear articulation, or grammatical structure.
nonfluent aphasianoun: A brain-language problem causing slow, effortful speech with missing small words, while understanding is often better preserved.
nongenetic inheritancenoun: Behavioral or bodily characteristics pass between generations through influences other than directly inherited genes, such as caregiving or social position.
nongonococcal urethritis (NGU)noun: The tube carrying urine out of the body becomes inflamed from causes other than gonorrhea, often a sexually transmitted infection.
nongraded schoolnoun: A school organizes students by learning progress, abilities, or developmental needs instead of placing them strictly by age or grade.
noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)noun: An older name identifies type 2 diabetes, where insulin resistance or insufficient insulin leads to elevated blood sugar.
nonintentional learningnoun: People gain knowledge or skills while doing something else, without setting out to learn them.
noninvasiveadjective: Describes a test or treatment that does not cut skin or put tools inside the body.
nonjudgmental approachnoun: A therapist listens without criticizing or morally judging the client, making it easier to share thoughts and feelings openly.
nonlanguage testnoun: An assessment presents tasks and accepts answers through pictures, objects, or actions rather than spoken or written words.
nonlinearadjective: A relationship between two variables that curves instead of forming a straight-line pattern.
nonlinear modelnoun: A mathematical model represents relationships in which equal changes in an input need not produce equal changes in the outcome.
nonlinear regressionnoun: A statistical method fits relationships where the predicted outcome can change at different rates across values of an input.
nonlinear relationshipphrase: Describes two variables whose connection changes in direction or speed at different values.
nonlinear transformationphrase: Changing scores with a math rule that does not preserve equal spacing or straight-line relationships.
nonliterateadjective: A community described this way shares a language without an established written form.
nonmetricadjective: Data describe categories or rankings without measuring equal numerical distances between values.
nonmonotonic logicnoun: A formal reasoning system allows earlier conclusions, and conclusions depending on them, to be reconsidered when new information arrives.
nonnormativeadjective: Something differs from a group's usual pattern, expected timing, or accepted standard.
nonnutritive suckingnoun: An infant sucks a thumb, pacifier, or another object without receiving milk, often helping them settle or regulate feelings.
nonoffspring nursingnoun: A milk-producing mammal feeds young that are not its own offspring.
nonovert appealnoun: An advertisement makes praise from apparently ordinary people seem like independent conversation rather than an obvious effort to persuade.
nonparametricadjective: Describes a statistical method that works without assuming the data follow a certain pattern.
nonparametric regressionnoun: A statistical method lets observed data shape the relationship between predictors and an outcome without fixing a particular equation form beforehand.
nonparametric statisticsnoun: Statistical methods analyze data without requiring certain distribution assumptions used by parametric methods, such as a normal bell-shaped pattern.
nonparametric testphrase: A statistical test used when data are ranks or categories and normal-shape assumptions are not required.
nonprescription drugnoun: A medicine can be bought without first obtaining a prescription from an authorized healthcare professional.
nonprimary motor cortexnoun: Frontal brain areas outside the primary motor cortex help plan movements and learn new movement patterns.
nonprimary sensory areanoun: A region of the brain's outer layer receives sensory information directly from an initial sensory processing area.
nonprobability samplingnoun: Researchers select people or cases through a process that leaves each one's exact chance of inclusion unknown.
nonrandomized clinical trialnoun: A treatment study places participants into treatment groups through decisions or circumstances instead of random assignment.
nonrandomized designnoun: A research plan assigns people or cases to study conditions without using a chance procedure.
nonrapid-eye-movement sleepnoun: A form of sleep lacks rapid eye movements and ranges from light sleep to deep, slow brain activity.
nonrationaladjective: Something cannot be established through reason, or someone's actions are difficult to explain through reasonable personal benefit.
nonreactive measurenoun: Researchers collect information without alerting or disturbing participants, aiming to leave their behavior unchanged.
nonreassuring fetal statusnoun: Signs during pregnancy or birth raise concern about a fetus's well-being, sometimes because its oxygen supply is inadequate.
nonrecursive modelnoun: A model includes feedback relationships in which a variable both influences and is influenced by another variable.
nonregulatory drivenoun: A motivation such as sexual interest or achievement does not directly restore the body's internal balance required for survival.
nonresponsenoun: A study participant does not supply an answer or measurement that researchers intended to collect.
nonresponse ratenoun: In the supplied sense, this measures the share of potentially eligible people who decline to join a study.
nonreversal shiftnoun: A learning task changes so that a previously irrelevant feature now determines which of two choices earns a reward.
nonsedating antihistaminenoun: An allergy medicine blocks histamine's effects while entering the brain less readily, making sleepiness less likely.
nonsense figurenoun: An unfamiliar visual shape resembles neither an everyday object nor a recognizable basic geometric form.
nonsense syllablenoun: Researchers use an invented three-letter unit to test memory while limiting help from existing meanings.
nonshared environmentnoun: Environmental influences that affect family members differently help explain why people raised together develop different characteristics.
nonsignificantadjective: Describes a result that is likely due to chance, not strong enough to show a real effect.
nonspecific effectnoun: An observed result cannot be traced to a particular cause, as when expectations contribute to improvement after treatment.
nonspecific urethritis (NSU)noun: Inflammation affects the tube carrying urine out of the body, usually from an infection other than gonorrhea.
nonspecificity theorynoun: A historical theory proposed that intense activity patterns in general sensory nerves produce pain without dedicated pain fibers.
nonspectral huenoun: A color such as purple requires a mixture of light wavelengths rather than one wavelength alone.
nonstate theories of hypnosisnoun: These explanations propose that hypnosis arises through ordinary waking processes, including expectations and attention, without requiring a special consciousness state.
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugnoun: A medicine reduces pain and inflammation by limiting production of prostaglandins, without belonging to the steroid family.
nonstriate visual cortexnoun: Brain regions beyond the primary visual cortex help process objects, spatial relationships, and the control of eye movements.
nonsyphilitic interstitial keratitisnoun: Inflammation affects the cornea's supporting tissue for reasons other than syphilis and can occur as part of Cogan syndrome.
nontraditional educationnoun: An educational approach uses teaching methods, requirements, or routes to qualifications that differ from customary schooling.
nontraditional marriagenoun: A marriage follows arrangements that differ from the customary marriage patterns of its surrounding society.
nonulcer dyspepsianoun: An older name describes recurring upper abdominal discomfort without an ulcer or another identified disease explaining the symptoms.
nonverbal abilityphrase: Skill in understanding and working with visual information such as shapes, patterns, and colors without using words.
nonverbal auditory agnosianoun: A person has difficulty recognizing everyday sounds other than speech, even though they can hear them.
nonverbal auditory perception testnoun: An assessment checks how well someone identifies everyday sounds and understands sound features such as rhythm and pitch.
nonverbal behaviorphrase: Body movements, facial expressions, and distance from others can show feelings or attitudes without speaking.
nonverbal communication (NVC)phrase: Sending messages without words through facial expression, gestures, posture, and tone, often shaped by culture.
nonverbal intelligencephrase: Ability to solve problems and see patterns without using words or language.
nonverbal leakagenoun: Unintended gestures, expressions, or movements are thought to reveal feelings or motives someone is trying to keep private.
nonverbal learningphrase: Learning information from pictures, smells, or sounds instead of from spoken or written words.
nonverbal learning disorder (NLD)noun: A proposed learning profile involves difficulty processing visual and spatial information, sometimes alongside challenges with coordination and social understanding.
nonverbal reinforcementnoun: A wordless response following a behavior makes that behavior more likely to happen again.
nonverbal testnoun: A test that uses pictures, actions, or shapes instead of spoken or written words.
nonverbal vocabulary testnoun: An assessment measures understanding of words through responses such as selecting pictures, without requiring spoken answers.
noologynoun: An uncommon name describes the study of the human mind, particularly intellect and reasoning.
Noonan syndromenoun: A genetic condition can affect growth, heart structure, hearing, and other features, with learning abilities varying among individuals.
nootropicnoun: A drug intended to support mental abilities, such as memory or thinking, may be called a cognitive enhancer.
noradrenergicadjective: Describing cells or body systems that use, release, or react to norepinephrine, a brain signaling chemical.
noradrenergic receptornoun: A cell protein responds to norepinephrine, also called noradrenaline, or to substances that act similarly.
noradrenergic systemnoun: Nervous system pathways that produce and respond to norepinephrine help regulate attention, arousal, sleep, emotion, and pain processing.
norepinephrine (NE)noun: A brain chemical and stress hormone that helps control alertness, attention, mood, and the body's stress response.
Norflexnoun: A brand name identifies orphenadrine, a medicine used for muscle spasms and some medication-related movement symptoms.
normnoun: A standard based on what is typical in a group, used to guide behavior or compare scores.
norm groupphrase: A test's comparison group whose scores are used to judge what is typical or unusual.
norm of reactionnoun: A given genetic makeup can produce a range of observable traits depending on the environment.
norm-referenced testnoun: An assessment interprets someone's performance by comparing their score with scores from a specified reference group.
normaladjective: Describes behavior or body functioning that is usual, expected, and not showing disorder or damage.
normal aging (normative aging)phrase: Expected changes that happen with growing older, not caused by disease, injury, or poor habits.
normal distributionphrase: A bell-shaped pattern where most scores cluster near the average and fewer appear toward both ends.
normal random variablenoun: A numerical outcome governed by chance follows a symmetric bell-shaped distribution, with values concentrated near its average.
normal salinenoun: A saltwater solution contains 0.9 grams of sodium chloride per 100 milliliters, roughly matching the concentration of body fluids.
normal sciencenoun: In Thomas Kuhn's account, scientists work within a widely accepted framework of assumptions and methods to solve research problems.
normal scorenoun: A transformed test value expresses its distance above or below the average in units of standard deviation.
normal variablenoun: A quantity determined by chance has possible values distributed in a symmetric bell shape around its average.
normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH)phrase: A brain fluid buildup in older adults causing walking problems, memory decline, and bladder loss despite normal pressure readings.
normalitynoun: Reasonably healthy mental functioning means thinking clearly, handling everyday life, and lacking severe distress or obvious disorder symptoms.
normalization principlenoun: This principle supports disabled people's access to ordinary living conditions, personal relationships, and choices available to others.
normalizeverb: To change scores so they roughly fit a bell-shaped spread of values.
Norman and Shallice modelnoun: A proposed model explains action through automatic selection among familiar routines and supervisory attention for unfamiliar or demanding situations.
normativeadjective: Describes what is typical or expected for a group, based on shared standards or average patterns.
normative crisisnoun: A commonly encountered life transition, such as retirement or marriage, requires substantial emotional or behavioral adjustment.
normative ethicsnoun: This branch of philosophy examines which actions are morally right and which standards should guide conduct.
normative influencephrase: Pressure to match group rules to be accepted or avoid disapproval.
normative male alexithymianoun: This proposed pattern links boys’ and men’s difficulty recognizing or expressing emotions to upbringing that discourages emotional vulnerability.
normative researchnoun: Researchers establish typical scores or performance levels so that individuals or groups can be compared with an appropriate reference.
normative scalenoun: This rating tool lets people score each item independently, without requiring all scores to add to a fixed amount.
normative sciencenoun: This approach uses chosen criteria to establish standards for how behavior, education, health, or society should be.
normative social influencephrase: People go along with a group to be liked or accepted, even if they disagree.
normative-reeducative strategynoun: This approach seeks social change through active learning that reshapes shared attitudes and cultural expectations, beyond simply presenting facts.
normosplanchnic typenoun: In Viola’s historical body classification, this category describes a balanced, muscular build roughly matching Kretschmer’s athletic type.
normotensiveadjective: This describes someone whose measured blood pressure falls within the expected healthy range for their age.
normotypenoun: In historical body classification, this category describes a physique with average overall shape and proportions.
Norpraminnoun: This brand name identifies desipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant that mainly slows nerve cells’ reabsorption of norepinephrine.
Norrie diseasenoun: This rare genetic condition mainly affects males, causing blindness from birth and sometimes hearing loss or developmental difficulties.
North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA)noun: This scholarly association promotes research, teaching, and knowledge sharing about behavior in sports, physical activity, and movement.
Northern blotnoun: This laboratory technique detects selected RNA by separating molecules, transferring them onto a membrane, and applying a matching probe.
nortriptylinenoun: An older antidepressant in the tricyclic family often causes less sleepiness than similar medicines.
NOSabbreviation: Short for not otherwise specified, this older diagnostic label covered symptoms fitting a disorder family without meeting a specific diagnosis.
nosenoun: The facial organ for smelling also warms, moistens, and guides incoming air inside the nasal cavity.
noso- (nos-)prefix: This word part means disease and helps form words about illness, its development, or its classification.
nosocomialadjective: This describes an infection acquired during hospital care that is separate from the illness prompting admission.
nosogenesisnoun: This means the process through which a physical or mental disorder begins and develops over time.
nosological approachnoun: This diagnostic approach organizes disorders by their identifying signs and symptoms, giving names to recognizable groups of problems.
nosologynoun: This field studies how physical and mental disorders should be named, distinguished, and organized into categories.
nosomanianoun: This rarely used historical word describes a persistent belief in having a particular disease without adequate supporting evidence.
nostalgianoun: A person feels an emotional longing for a remembered time or place that seems especially meaningful or better than today.
not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI)phrase: A court decision that a person committed the act but lacked mental capacity to be criminally responsible.
not mephrase: A feared part of the self built from terrifying relationship experiences that can trigger nightmares or severe emotional breakdowns.
not otherwise specified (NOS)phrase: This older diagnostic designation placed symptoms within a disorder family when requirements for a particular diagnosis were not fully met.
not significantadjective: A statistical result fails to meet the chosen evidence threshold for rejecting the null hypothesis.
nothingnessnoun: In some existentialist accounts, existence lacks built-in structure or meaning, a condition proposed to contribute to deep anxiety.
Nothnagel’s acroparesthesianoun: This condition involves unusual sensations, such as tingling or numbness in hands or feet, alongside problems with blood circulation.
noumenonnoun: In Kant’s philosophy, this means something as it exists independently of human perception, beyond what people can directly know.
nousnoun: In ancient Greek philosophy, this means intellect or reason, especially the capacity to grasp fundamental principles.
novel antidepressantnoun: This broad label groups antidepressant medicines developed as alternatives to established classes, often acting differently on chemical signaling.
novel antipsychoticnoun: This alternative name identifies an atypical, or second-generation, medicine used to treat psychotic symptoms and sometimes other mental health conditions.
noveltynoun: New and unusual things often grab attention and can affect choices, especially in infants and consumers.
novelty preference tasknoun: Researchers compare how long an infant looks at a new object versus a familiar object presented alongside it.
novelty seekingnoun: This personality tendency involves strong interest in unfamiliar experiences and may include excitement about possible rewards or taking risks.
noxious stimulusnoun: An unpleasant or potentially damaging event can strengthen behavior that removes it or helps someone avoid it.
NPCabbreviation: A neural progenitor cell can mature into nerve cells or supporting cells, but its ability to keep dividing is limited.
NPDBabbreviation: The National Practitioner Data Bank records certain professional disciplinary actions and malpractice payments to support reviews of health care workers’ credentials.
NPHabbreviation: Short for normal-pressure hydrocephalus, this condition enlarges brain fluid spaces despite usually normal pressure, potentially affecting walking, thinking, and bladder control.
NPIabbreviation: The Narcissistic Personality Inventory is a self-report research questionnaire measuring traits such as entitlement, superiority, and desire for attention.
NPTAabbreviation: This abbreviation names a national nonprofit through which parents and educators work together to improve children's education and welfare.
NREM sleepphrase: The quieter sleep stages without rapid eye movements, when dreaming is less common and deep slow brain waves appear.
NSAIDabbreviation: A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug reduces pain and inflammation by limiting production of prostaglandins, chemicals involved in these responses.
NSFabbreviation: The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency supporting scientific and engineering research and the sharing of knowledge.
NSTabbreviation: This brainstem cluster of nerve cells passes along signals about taste and conditions inside the body's organs.
NSUabbreviation: Short for nonspecific urethritis, this means inflammation of the urine-carrying tube caused by an infection other than gonorrhea.
nubileadjective: This dated adjective describes a young woman considered old enough to marry, or sometimes someone undergoing puberty.
nuchal rigiditynoun: Unusual stiffness in the rear neck muscles may accompany injury or disease involving the brain.
nuclear complexnoun: In brain anatomy, this means several connected clusters of nerve cell bodies that form a larger functional grouping.
nuclear envelopenoun: This membrane boundary surrounds a cell’s nucleus and separates its contents from the rest of the cell.
nuclear familynoun: A household made up of parents and the children they are raising, including adopted children.
nuclear imagingnoun: These scans detect radiation released by tracers inside the body to reveal organ activity and sometimes structure.
nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)noun: Atomic nuclei in a magnetic field absorb and release radio-frequency energy, producing detectable signals that can support body imaging.
nuclear schizophrenianoun: This historical proposed schizophrenia subtype described early, gradual onset with withdrawal and reduced emotional expression, assuming lasting decline.
Nuclear Surety Personnel Reliability Programnoun: This assessment program selects and prepares reliable personnel for nuclear weapon duties, including a requirement for two authorized people’s presence.
nuclear warfarenoun: Fighting with weapons powered by nuclear reactions causes massive destruction and can leave survivors with bodily injuries and psychological difficulties.
nucleinoun: In the brain, these are clusters of neuron cell bodies that work together on specific jobs.
nucleic acidnoun: A large biological molecule, such as DNA or RNA, contains linked nucleotide units that store or help use genetic information.
nucleolusnoun: A region inside a cell's nucleus produces ribosomal RNA and assembles the parts of ribosomes, which make proteins.
nucleoplasmnoun: The material inside a cell's nucleus surrounds its internal structures and remains enclosed by the nuclear membrane.
nucleotidenoun: A molecular unit containing a base, sugar, and phosphate can build DNA or RNA or perform other cellular jobs.
nucleusnoun: A cluster of neuron cell bodies in the brain or spinal cord that works together on related jobs.
nucleus accumbensnoun: A forebrain area that gets dopamine signals and helps make rewards, including drugs, feel reinforcing.
nucleus basalis magnocellularisnoun: A cluster of basal forebrain neurons sends acetylcholine signals across the cerebral cortex, helping regulate its activity.
nucleus cuneatusnoun: A neuron cluster in the lower brainstem receives signals traveling through the spinal cord's cuneate pathway.
nucleus gracilisnoun: A neuron cluster in the lower brainstem receives signals traveling through the spinal cord's gracile pathway.
nucleus of the raphenoun: A neuron group along the brainstem's middle sends serotonin signals widely and helps regulate alertness and sleep.
nucleus of the solitary tract (NST)noun: A neuron cluster in the lower brainstem receives taste and internal organ signals and helps coordinate bodily responses.
nuisance parameternoun: A population or model quantity outside the main research question must still be considered when estimating or testing another quantity.
nuisance variablenoun: An outside influence adds random variation to experimental results without consistently differing between the conditions being compared.
null distributionnoun: A probability pattern describes the test statistic values expected across repeated samples if the null hypothesis holds.
null findingnoun: A statistical test produces a result that does not provide enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis.
null hypothesisphrase: A starting claim in research that any group differences or links are just chance.
null hypothesis significance testing (NHST)noun: A statistical approach compares observed results with expectations under a null hypothesis to decide whether to reject it.
null resultphrase: A study outcome showing no real difference or effect beyond what chance could explain.
null setnoun: A mathematical collection contains no members, even though it still counts as a set.
numbernoun: An amount shown by counting, measuring, or using symbols like 3 or 27.
number factornoun: A proposed component of intelligence represents skill with numerical problems, inferred from patterns in test performance.
number-completion testnoun: An intelligence assessment asks someone to identify a number pattern and fill a gap or extend the sequence.
numbsensenoun: Some people with lost bodily sensation can locate or distinguish touches on affected areas without consciously feeling them.
numerical ability (N)noun: In Thurstone's intelligence theory, a primary mental skill involves performing calculations and solving simple mathematical word problems.
numerical competencenoun: Some nonhuman animals can connect object quantities with numbers and place those numbers in the proper order.
numerical variablenoun: A measured characteristic takes number values that represent amounts, such as someone's age or height.
numerologynoun: A belief system that gives numbers hidden spiritual meanings to explain personality or predict life events.
numerosity perceptionnoun: The senses allow someone to perceive how many separate items or events are present.
Nuremberg codenoun: Ten research ethics principles emphasize voluntary consent, protection of participants, and freedom to leave experiments involving people.
nurse practitionernoun: A nurse with advanced education and clinical training can assess illnesses, provide treatment, and prescribe medicines within local rules.
nurse’s aidenoun: A trained care worker helps nursing staff meet patients' everyday needs, such as washing, dressing, and moving.
nursery schoolnoun: An early education program helps young children develop learning, communication, and social skills before kindergarten.
nursingnoun: A health profession that cares for sick or injured people and helps protect and improve health.
nursing homenoun: A place where mostly older people get round-the-clock nursing help and daily care for long-term illness or disability.
nurturancenoun: Warm care that includes affection, protection, and encouragement, or a person's tendency to give that care.
nurturenoun: All the experiences and surroundings in a person's life that shape development and behavior.
nutmegnoun: A spice made from a tropical tree's seed contains substances that can alter perception and cause poisoning in large amounts.
nutraceuticalnoun: A food or food-derived product is consumed for hoped-for health benefits beyond its ordinary nutritional role.
nutrientnoun: A substance obtained through diet supports energy needs, growth, tissue repair, or other essential bodily functions.
nutritionnoun: Getting the food and nutrients your body needs to grow, think clearly, and stay healthy.
nutritional deficiencynoun: The body lacks enough of one or more needed nutrients because intake, absorption, or use is inadequate.
nutritional disordernoun: A physical or psychological health condition develops from too little, too much, or an unhealthy balance of nutrients.
nutritional rehabilitationphrase: Careful feeding to restore health after serious malnutrition, often before or alongside therapy.
nutritional supplementnoun: A product taken by mouth adds nutrients or other dietary ingredients to someone's usual food intake.
Nuvigilnoun: A brand name for armodafinil identifies a medicine used to improve wakefulness in certain sleep disorders.
nux vomicanoun: Seeds from the tropical tree Strychnos nux-vomica contain highly poisonous substances, including strychnine, that overstimulate the nervous system.
NVCabbreviation: Nonverbal communication conveys meaning through expressions, gestures, posture, vocal tone, and other cues beyond words.
NVDabbreviation: A medical abbreviation groups nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea as three symptoms recorded or discussed together.
nyakwananoun: A hallucinogenic snuff made from Virola tree bark contains substances including DMT and has traditional uses in South America.
nyctalopianoun: A visual difficulty makes seeing in darkness or dim surroundings unusually hard or impossible.
nyctophilianoun: A person has a strong liking for nighttime or dark surroundings.
nympholepsynoun: Historically, this described frenzied longing for an unreachable ideal; another outdated usage described obsessive sexual attraction to young girls.
nymphomanianoun: An outdated, often judgmental label described women's sexual desire as excessive or beyond their control.
nystagmusnoun: Rapid, uncontrolled eye movements that can go side to side, up, or around.

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