diatropism

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)The growth or movement of a plant or animal in a direction perpendicular to a stimulus.

   “As a special result of diatropism, a transverse position is assumed which is exactly at right angles to the direction in which the iinfluence which acts as a stimulus is exerted.”

   “It is either positive, making the animal creep perpendicularly downward, or it causes a horizontal movement, (diatropism) at right angles to the axis of gravity, the result of which for the organism is the so-called maintenance of equilibrium.”

   “Comparing representatives of different phylogenetic lines and taxa by morphostructure shows that diatropism effect as a cell, organ, or organism property appeared in the ancient times and still exists.”

2. (countable, uncountable)An orthogonal arrangement of groups of atoms within a molecule, often associated with aromaticity.

   “The phenomena of antiaromaticity and paratropism are less well known than those of aromaticity and diatropism.”

   “There can be two limiting variants of the structure of the nearest surroundings of a molecule: parallel pairs and a mutually orthogonal arrangement (paratropism and diatropism [22] respectively).”

   “Conversely, the linearly fused ring has increased diatropism relative to 3 dues to the bond localization in the C ring.”

   “In the branched 21b, the central six-membered ring becomes essentially atropic (NICS=-1.1), as do the adjacent cyclobutadienes (NICS=-0.4), allowing for maximum diatropicsm of the three terminal cycles (CICS=-10.7; δ=7.24, 7.31ppm).”

3. (countable, uncountable)The choice of an object of libidinal attachment on the basis of dissimilarity from early childhood protective and parental figures.

   “This is the precise point of either the "optimal frustration" that Spitz requires of the mother towards the child, or of Winnicott's mysterious "good enough mother": they are called upon to break the primary narcissism in which the mother and child are bound, from anaclisis to diatropism, so that, with the advent of autoeroticism, and at the same time as representation and language, a relationship of the object is finally begun.”