| 释义 |
sensitivity|sɛnsɪˈtɪvɪtɪ|
[f. sensitive a. + -ity. Cf. F. sensitivité.]
1. The quality of being sensitive, in various senses of the adj.
1803W. Taylor in Ann. Rev. I. 401 An eloquent exuberance characterizes the style of our author, and a sensitivity of imagination which makes even the minutest phænomenon appear important to his attention. 1856Dove Logic Chr. Faith iv. ii. §5. 221 In the Vegetable World we behold the..germ of individual Sensitivity. 1880Bastian Brain 57 Its sensitivity to such stimuli is..closely akin to the general organic irritability of protoplasm. 1882Athenæum 25 Nov. 703/1 The number of grades between the weights that any person can distinguish has to be found by trial, and that number becomes the measure of the coarseness of his sensitivity. 1904Titchener tr. Wundt's Physiol. Psychol. I. 265 We find..symptoms of abrogation or diminution of cutaneous sensitivity upon the uninjured side of the body.
2. The activity and experience of the senses.
1889Mivart Orig. Hum. Reas. 75 Creatures whose whole being is entirely given up to sensitivity.
3. a. The degree to which a device, test, or procedure responds to small amounts of or slight changes in that to which it is designed to respond; the ratio of the response of a device to the stimulus causing it; = sensitiveness 3.
1918E. S. Ferry Handbk. Physics Measurements II. iv. 179 (heading) Determination of the sensitivity of a galvanometer. 1937H. Eagle Lab. Diagnosis of Syphilis vi. 117 The longer the incubation period, the greater was the sensitivity of the test. 1944E. S. Smith Automatic Control Engin. iii. 17 Sensitivity is merely the ratio effect/cause. The over-all sensitivity is equal to the product of all the component sensitivities of the instrument. 1955Sci. Amer. Mar. 68/2 The three procedures represent an ascending scale of sensitivity, and a descending scale of specificity. 1973Nature 7 Dec. 343/2 An unsuccessful search for gravitational radiation was reported about a year ago by Braginskii et al., with detectors of comparable sensitivity to those of Weber.
b. spec. in Radio, (a measure of) the ability of a receiver or other part of a radio system to pick up or respond to weak radio signals.
1928L. S. Palmer Wireless Princ. & Pract. ix. 305 Most poor rectifying contacts can be improved by either the application of a small potential difference or by the application of heat, but with some of these contacts the increased sensitivity persists after the removal of the potential difference or heat. 1931Moyer & Wostrel Radio Handbk. iii. 124 Many crystals do not have a uniform sensitivity over the entire surface. 1962Which? Feb. 40/1 We tested the radios to see how well they would receive weak stations. Their ability to do this is called sensitivity. 1965Wireless World Sept. 457/1 The sensitivity of an audio amplifier is nowadays (following the British Standard) often specified in terms of a ‘sensitivity voltage’, i.e. the e.m.f. applied in series with the stated source resistance, to the input terminals in order to obtain the rated output power or voltage. 1975G. J. King Audio Handbk. v. 111 Each channel of a two- or four-channel amplifier should be measured for sensitivity independently.
4. Psychol. Used attrib., esp. in sensitivity group, sensitivity training, to denote training in small groups aimed at increasing a person's awareness of the behaviour, feelings, and motives of others and of himself. Cf. T-group s.v. T 7.
1954Personnel XXX. 256/1 The suggested approach to leadership training combines these two features in order to focus sensitivity training on those interpersonal problems which intimately involve the members of the training group. 1964M. Argyle Psychol. & Social Probl. x. 133 Many students could..benefit from sensitivity training, aimed at increasing the accuracy of perception of social situations. 1969Listener 26 June 881/1 A sensitivity group of persons gets together in order to cultivate a heightened awareness of themselves and each other, in a sort of group therapy. 1971Harvest Years Mar. 8/2 (caption) A few scenes from a sensitivity session. 1977E. G. & N. C. Bormann Speech Communication (ed. 2) i. 12 Sensitivity groups have been used to train management personnel..and to institute individual and organizational change. |