actemen.
/ˈaktiːm/, U.S. /ˈækˌtim/ Chiefly Psychology.
A minimum indivisible unit of action or behaviour (sometimes specifically non-verbal behaviour; cf. phoneme n. 1a).
ΚΠ
1935 G. K. Zipf Psycho-biol. Lang. vi. 301 Since a quantum seems to be the smallest unit of inanimate energy, our reaction to a single quantum is probably the smallest unit into which animate activity may be divided, and for convenience we may term this smallest unit of animate activity an acteme.
1955 K. L. Pike Lang. in Relation to Unified Theory of Struct. Human Behavior (Prelim. ed.) II. viii. 1 An acteme is a minimum, active, trimodally-structured emic segment or component of human activity.
1978 A.-L. Siikala Rite Technique Siberian Shaman vii. 74 The shamanic rite is built up of action units, actemes, which..have a status independent of one another and the goal of the rite.
2007 E. E. Boesch in W. J. Lonner & S. A. Hayes Discovering Cultural Psychol. vii. 157 This is also true of the actemes of pronouncing an invocation and of lighting candles and incense sticks.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, November 2010; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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