manipulandumn.
/məˌnɪpjᵿˈlandəm/, U.S. /məˌnɪpjəˈlændəm/ Psychology and Animal Behaviour.
Something which is manipulated; an object or feature designed for or capable of manipulation (esp. in a psychological test or experiment).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > [noun] > manipulable feature in
manipulandum1932
1932 A. C. Tolman Purposive Behavior v. 91 We propose now the terms discriminanda and manipulanda for these two varieties of support.
1950 Amer. Sociol. Rev. 15 398/1 The family is conceptualized as an environmental factor having the twin functions of instigator to behavior and manipulandum of behavior.
1960 L. E. Hinsie & R. J. Campbell Psychiatric Dict. (ed. 3) 399/2 [The capacities] to respond to such differentiated apperceptions by internal and external reactions of various degrees of finesse, versatility, and efficiency [are called] ‘manipulanda’ capacities.
1969 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 9 Oct. 38/4 Much of the research will relate to complex forms of stimulus control [such as] controlled locomotion and operation of manipulanda while flying.
1974 Nature 25 Oct. 705/2 The enriched condition consisted of a large, clear, lucite box (75 × 40 × 20 cm high) divided diagonally in two containing various manipulanda.
1982 Sociol. Abstr. Suppl. 116. 173/1 Observations were made in the child's home under conditions of exposing the child to unfamiliar objects and manipulanda.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2000; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1932