Aptitude-treatment interaction (ATI), also known as attribute-treatment interaction or trait-treatment interaction, refers to the tenet that treatments or interventions that are well matched to learners’ specific aptitudes, attributes, or traits are more effective in helping them to appropriate the object of learning, that is, what the learners are expected to learn. This entry further describes ATI and research in this area. It then details the evolution of ATI research, describes ATI research designs, and discusses implications for educational practice. Finally, it looks at future directions for ATI.

Early descriptions of ATI can be found in both Eastern and Western literature, such as in ancient Chinese and Hebrew writings, early Greek and Roman teachings, and early European philosophies. The basic premise of ATI in educational research is ...