Habituation

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /həˌbɪt.juˈeɪ.ʃən/

Definitions

1. A gradual decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated or prolonged exposure to it
2. A method of learning characterized by a reduced reaction to a stimulus after its repeated exposure, highlighting the adjustment of behavior over time with ongoing interactions
3. A process where an organism shows less reaction to a stimulus following continuous or frequent exposure

Etymology: "Habituation" comes to English from Middle English "habituacioun," which was itself borrowed from Medieval Latin "habituātio," a noun built on "habituāre," meaning to make someone or something into a certain condition or manner. The Latin root is "habitus," from "habēre," "to have, to hold," so the core idea is holding oneself in a particular state. That same root gives English "habit," "habitual," and "exhibit," all of which share the sense of something held or kept up over time. In modern English the word is usually a technical term. Psychologists and physiologists use it for the gradual weakening of a response to a repeated stimulus, such as a person ceasing to notice a ticking clock or a constant smell. Its everyday meaning, becoming accustomed to something, is the same process described in ordinary speech.