Occlusion is a term indicating that the state of something, which is normally open, is now totally closed.
- In ophthalmology or orthoptics, occlusion refers to the patching of a person's good eye, in order for their weaker eye to receive more visual stimuli - as in amblyopia.
- In audiology, occlusion refers to the phenomenon that when persons with normal hearing close off the opening into the ear canal, the loudness of low pitched sounds (presented by bone conduction) increases.
- In dentistry, occlusion refers to the manner in which the teeth from upper and lower arches come together when the mouth is closed.
- In psychology, specifically memory research, occlusion is the phenomenon of items associated to the same cue as the target blocking the successful retrieval of that target, through strength dependent response competition. The tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon is an example of occlusion.
- In computer gaming audio engines, the term describes modification of the qualities of a sound that passes through or around an object so that the player experiences a greater sense of realism. For example, a sound that comes from behind a door realistically sounds as if it passed through a door.
- In physics, it means an enclosure of cool air around warm air that rises in the atmosphere
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