intentionality

[ in-ten-shuh-nal-i-tee ]

noun

1. the fact or quality of being done on purpose or with intent:

   The author’s choice here may not have been intentionally racially charged, but discrimination and prejudice are often not rooted in intentionality.

2. an attitude of purposefulness, with a commitment to deliberate action:

   “Active hope” is a practice that does not require optimism; instead, it requires intentionality.

3. Metaphysics.
   1. the capacity of the mind to refer to an existent or nonexistent object:

      The mind has intentionality as it is directed toward something it affirms, desires, loves, or hates; but the something is not necessarily real.

   2. (said of consciousness or a sign) the fact or property of pointing beyond itself:

      We relate to the world through intentionality—the capacity of consciousness to be about states of affairs outside itself.

Word History and Origins

Origin of intentionality¹

First recorded in 1610–20; from Medieval Latin intentiōnālitās, equivalent to intentional ( def ) + -ity ( def )

Example Sentences

“In real life, it might be presented slightly more subtly, but the undertone, the energy, the intentionality is out there in the world like that,” Moore confirms.

From Los Angeles Times

“Having intentionality and having that one-on-one conversation with them at every point for everything we do … It’s not just once. It’s every time we do anything,” Leon says.

From Los Angeles Times

“There seems to be an intentionality to cite anonymous sources as Godwin’s detractors, coupled with the use of derogatory or stereotypical terms to describe her.”

From Los Angeles Times

To the contrary: A 2014 study in the journal Mindfulness concluded that college students who approached even a few minutes of dishwashing “with intentionality and awareness” boosted positive feelings and lowered negative ones.

From Seattle Times

They also assessed the teaser's intentionality by looking for evidence that the behavior was directed at a specific target, that it persisted or intensified, and that teasers waited for a response from the target.

From Science Daily