##  [Law of Initial Value](/law-initial-value) 

  ##  [Law of Initial Value](https://health.quantumdictionary.io/law-initial-value-0) 

  

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**Health & Life Sciences Dictionary**

 







 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

Definition

An empirical rule stating that the direction and magnitude of a short‑term physiological response to a stimulus are influenced by the pre‑stimulus (baseline) level of the measured variable: responses tend to be smaller or opposite in direction when the baseline is already high (or low) relative to the system’s regulatory set point or capacity.