Modaliteter

Modaliteter, or modalities in English, is a term used across disciplines to denote the different ways something can occur, be experienced, or be measured. The concept encompasses forms, manners, or channels through which phenomena are expressed or evaluated, and the precise meaning depends on the field of study.

In linguistics, modality expresses possibility, necessity, obligation, or permission, often via modal verbs such as can, may, must, and should. Modal expressions can indicate likelihood, ability, or social or grammatical mood. In philosophy and logic, modal logic studies necessity and possibility using operators that formalize alethic modalities (possibility and necessity), deontic modalities (obligation and permission), and epistemic modalities (knowledge or belief).

In medicine and healthcare, treatment modalities refer to distinct approaches to care, including pharmacologic therapy, surgery, radiotherapy, physical therapy, or psychotherapy. In education and psychology, instructional modalities describe delivery methods or sensory channels (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) and the use of multimodal assessment.

In data collection, imaging, and human–computer interaction, modalities denote specific measurement methods or input channels. Common imaging modalities include MRI, CT, ultrasound, X-ray, and PET, while multimodal systems combine speech, gesture, touch, and visual input to support interaction.

Related topics include modality, modal logic, and treatment modality.