Category: R

  • Reciprocal crosses

    In genetics, a second cross involving the same strains but carried by sexes opposite to those of the first cross.  

  • Reciprocal-altruism hypothesis

    Altruism that is based on the expectation that today’s giver will be tomorrow’s taker, kin-selection hypothesis; alarm call.  

  • Recidivism

    The relapse or recurrence of a disease. Habitual criminality; the repetition of antisocial acts.  

  • Recessive gene

    A unit of heredity that is contrasted to the dominant gene. Member of a pair of genes (an allele) that cannot express itself in the presence of its more dominant allele; it is expressed only in the homozygous state. For example, the gene for blue eyes is recessive and will not manifest itself if the…

  • Receptor site theory

    The theory that a drug exerts its effect on certain parts of the body because specific receptor cells receive only certain body chemicals or drug molecules that structurally resemble them.  

  • Receptive language disorders

    Difficulty in understanding what others say.  

  • Receptive field

    The retinal area in which visual stimulation affects a particular cell’s firing rate.  

  • Recency effect

    In free recall, the recall superiority of the items at the end of the list compared to those in the middle of the list.  

  • Recapitulation theory

    The now discredited view that in embryological development each organism goes through the evolutionary history of the species of which it is a member. The theory that during development an individual organism goes through the same progressive stages as did the species in developing from the lower to the higher forms of life; the theory…

  • Recalcitrant

    A person who is obstinate in defying authority. Not responding to treatment.