primary effect

British  

noun

1. psychol the process whereby the first few items on a list are learnt more rapidly than the middle items

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Example Sentences

"This was a manifestation, by pretence and fantasy, that he had some sort of agency, that he had some sort of response, to those that had picked on him and that its primary purpose and its primary effect was to provide him with a certain degree of solace, in that way," the defence barrister said.

From BBC

The test required courts to consider whether the government practice being challenged had a secular purpose, whether its primary effect was to advance or inhibit religion, and whether it encouraged excessive government entanglement with religion.

From New York Times

Shingles primarily affects older persons who have had such childhood diseases as chicken pox and the primary effect is painful rashes that last for weeks, though nerve pain can persist even longer than that.

From Washington Times

The primary effect will be to allow some Venezuelan oil to flow back to the United States, "which will help the U.S. refining system," Wirth said.

From Reuters

In Garcia’s district, the primary effect of Jan. 6 was to worsen Americans’ already bleak view of politics, said Hunt Braly, a Valencia attorney.

From Los Angeles Times