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Habituation: meaning, definitions and examples

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habituation

 

[ ˌhæbɪtʃuˈeɪʃən ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

psychological process

Habituation is a form of learning in which an organism decreases or ceases its responses to a stimulus after repeated or prolonged exposure to that stimulus. It is a simple form of non-associative learning. In essence, the organism learns to stop responding to a repeated stimulus to conserve energy and focus on more relevant stimuli.

Synonyms

acclimatization, accustomization, adaptation.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
habituation

Use when describing the process of becoming accustomed to a repeated stimulus and reducing the response to it over time.

  • Over time, the loud noise from the construction site led to habituation among the residents
  • The animals showed habituation to the repeated sound of the bell
accustomization

Use when referring to the general process of becoming familiar with something through consistent exposure.

  • With practice, she achieved accustomization to the early morning workouts
  • New employees often undergo a period of accustomization to the company’s workflows
adaptation

Use when referring to the process of change or adjustment in response to new conditions, broader than just getting used to a stimulus.

  • Adaptation to the new climate was crucial for the survival of the species
  • The company's adaptation to the digital age helped it stay competitive
acclimatization

Use when describing the process of adjusting physically, especially to a new environment or altitude.

  • After moving to the mountains, it took her body some time for acclimatization to the higher altitude
  • Travelers often need a period of acclimatization when visiting high-altitude destinations

Examples of usage

  • The habituation to the sound of traffic allowed the city dwellers to sleep peacefully at night.
  • After weeks of habituation to the new office environment, the employees no longer noticed the background noise.
  • The habituation to the smell of the bakery made it less noticeable over time.

Translations

Translations of the word "habituation" in other languages:

🇵🇹 habituação

🇮🇳 अनुरूपण

🇩🇪 Gewöhnung

🇮🇩 pembiasaan

🇺🇦 звикання

🇵🇱 habituacja

🇯🇵 馴化 (じゅんか)

🇫🇷 habituation

🇪🇸 habituación

🇹🇷 alışma

🇰🇷 습관화 (習慣化)

🇸🇦 التعويد

🇨🇿 habituace

🇸🇰 habituácia

🇨🇳 习惯化 (xíguànhuà)

🇸🇮 privajanje

🇮🇸 venjun

🇰🇿 бейімделу

🇬🇪 გაჩვევა

🇦🇿 vərdiş

🇲🇽 habituación

Etymology

The term 'habituation' originated from the Latin word 'habitualis' which means 'belonging to a habit or usual practice'. The concept of habituation has been studied across various fields such as psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral biology. It was first introduced by the physiologist Sechenov in the 19th century and has since been a key aspect of understanding how organisms adapt to their environment.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #23,564, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.