APA Dictionary of Psychology

mechanistic interactionism

Updated on 04/19/2018
a theory that considers both individual (dispositional) and situational variables in the determination of behavior. The relative weight assigned to dispositional and situational factors may be affected by certain moderating variables, including the nature of a situation: A highly structured situation may influence behavior more than will dispositional factors, and a highly ambiguous situation may allow dispositional factors to play a larger role in determining behavior.
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