physiogenicadj.
/ˌfɪzɪə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪk/, U.S. /ˌfɪziəˈdʒɛnɪk/ 1. Biology. Of or relating to the development or evolution of physiological functions. Cf. physiogeny n.2 rare.
ΚΠ
1890 Cent. Dict. Physiogenic, of or pertaining to physiogeny or physiogenesis; physiological with special reference to ontogeny and phylogeny; evolutionary or developmental with reference to physiology.
1955 C. M. Stern tr. A. P. Suñer Classics of Biol. xii. 210 We can see..whether any of those propositions..favours more the physiogenic and morphogenic influence of environment through, of course, gene mechanism.
2. Having a physiological or physical origin or cause (chiefly opposed to psychogenic adj.). Also (esp. of an immunological phenomenon): having a normal or beneficial physiological role (cf. pathogenic adj.).
ΚΠ
1917 C. R. Payne tr. O. Pfister Psychoanalytic Method xxv. 532 The educator is often unable to tell whether a psychogenic or physiogenic disturbance is present.
1934 Lancet 18 Aug. 373/2 It was probable that in the future disorders now called psychogenic would be recognised as physiogenic. The differentiation should be, not into psychogenic and physiogenic, but into how much is psychogenic and how much physiogenic.
1959 P. Grabar & P. Miescher Immunopathol. 13 Immunopathology presumably covers all immune phenomena associated with general pathology—the majority of the reactions of course being physiogenic and beneficial to the host—others again being inconsequential or even harmful.
1967 Brit. Jrnl. Psychiatry 113 821/1 One fundamental change is that schizophrenic deterioration has lost much of its physiogenic character. By now it would seem to be more natural to regard it as predominantly psychogenic.
1969 Lancet 28 June 1295/1 The term [immunopathology] was used in a wide sense to cover all immune reactions associated with disease regardless of whether they are helpful (physiogenic), without consequence to the host, or harmful (pathogenic).
1970 Lancet 28 Feb. 447/2 Immunoconglutinin is thought to be a ‘physiogenic autoantibody’ against complement which has been altered as the result of an immune reaction.
1982 Jrnl. Psychoactive Drugs 14 101 A male from a surrogate family background, possessing a strongly autonomous impulsive self and finds erotic satisfaction in the needle-specific, pharmacogenic orgasm, as opposed to the genital-specific, physiogenic orgasm.
1996 Jrnl. Health & Social Behavior 37 367/2 Studies of age and depression raise the question of physiogenic bias in the malaise component.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
adj.1890