Idiothetic
Template:Short description Template:Refimprove Idiothetic literally means "self-proposition" (Greek derivation), and is used in navigation models (e.g., of a rat in a maze) to describe the use of self-motion cues,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> rather than allothetic, or external, cues such as landmarks, to determine position and movement.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The word is sometimes also spelled "ideothetic" (e.g., Chen et al, 1994 <ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>). Idiothetic cues include vestibular, optic flow and proprioception. Idiothetic cues are important for the type of navigation known as path integration<ref name="Mittel73">Mittelstaedt, H. and Mittelstaedt, M.-L. (1973). "Mechanismen der orientierung ohne richtende aussenreize." Fortschr. Zool. 21:46–58.</ref><ref>Mittelstaedt, M.-L. and Mittelstaedt, H. (1980). "Homing by path integration in a mammal." Naturwissenschaften 67:566–567.</ref> in which subjects navigate purely using such self-motion cues. This is achieved by an animal through the signals generated by angular and linear accelerations in the course of its exploration.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> This information generates and updates a vector towards the starting point and an accurate path for return.<ref name=":0" /> The spider Cupiennius salei has been known to possess this idiothetic orientation, demonstrating its higher cognitive abilities.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
The term idiothetic is also used in robotics<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and in personality psychology. Idiothetic psychology of personality suggests that personality description follows idiographic principles, while personality development centres around nomothetic principles.<ref>Lamiell, J. T. (1981). Toward an idiothetic psychology of personality. American Psychologist, 36(3), 276–289. http://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.36.3.276</ref> Idiothetic-based psychological theories include James Lamiell's Critical Personalism model, George Kelly's Role Repertory Test,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and the narrative approaches that focus on the impact of life stories.