dispositional

Dispositional is an adjective relating to disposition or to an inherent tendency of a person, system, or object to behave in a certain way. In everyday language it often describes temperament or character, while in technical contexts it denotes internal properties or propensities that are argued to explain outcomes. The opposite concept in many domains is situational, referring to external circumstances rather than internal predispositions.

In psychology, dispositional explanations attribute behavior to enduring traits such as personality, motives, or beliefs, rather than to situational factors. The term is central to attribution theory, which contrasts dispositional (internal) and situational (external) causation. Discussions of the fundamental attribution error examine how observers overemphasize dispositional causes when judging others.

In philosophy and metaphysics, dispositional properties or powers are tendencies that tend to manifest under appropriate conditions. Examples include fragility, solubility, and electrical conductivity: a fragile object tends to break when struck, sugar tends to dissolve in water, and a magnet tends to attract iron. These properties are often analyzed via counterfactuals—statements about what would happen under different conditions.

In medicine or genetics, the word is used to describe predispositions or propensities, such as a dispositional risk for certain diseases, which arise from an interaction of heredity and environment.

See also

- Disposition

- Dispositional attribution

- Attribution theory

- Fundamental attribution error

- Dispositional property

- Personality psychology

- Situational factors