What term describes the tendency for certain traits to be inherited, including physical and mental conditions and disorders?

The term that describes the tendency for certain traits, including physical and mental conditions and disorders, to be inherited is "genetic predisposition." This concept refers to the increased likelihood of developing a particular trait or condition based on an individual's genetic makeup. Genetic predisposition indicates that specific genes or combinations of genes can influence the risk for conditions such as autism, schizophrenia, or even certain physical traits like height or eye color.

This inheritance doesn't imply certainty; rather, it means that an individual may have a higher probability of experiencing certain traits due to their genetic background. Understanding this concept is critical in the field of neuroscience and genetics, as it underscores the role of heredity in shaping individual differences in behavior and health.

In contrast, environmental impact refers to the influence of external factors on an individual’s development, phenotypic variation describes the observable traits resulting from genetic and environmental interactions, and behavioral inheritance typically pertains to the transmission of learned behaviors rather than genetic traits. Each of these terms highlights different aspects of how traits can be influenced but does not encapsulate the specific inherited tendency tied directly to genetics as "genetic predisposition" does.