Debates - Free will + determinism

Question 1

Why is the determinism/free will debate important to psychologists?

Answer 1

There is a disagreement in psychology about how best to approach research and treatments.

Question 2

What is free will?

Answer 2

There may be biological or external influences on our behaviour but we are able to reject these and freely choose the path we take.

Question 3

What is determinism?

Answer 3

The belief that our behaviour is caused by factors outside of our control.

Question 4

What are the 5 types of determinism?

Answer 4

Hard determinism
Soft determinism
Biological determinism
Environmental determinism
Psychic determinism

Question 5

What is hard determinism?

Answer 5

‘Fatalism’ (belief that things are destined to happen)

All behaviour is predictable, laws can be drawn up for behaviour just like any natural phenomenon.

Question 6

What is soft determinism?

Answer 6

We are influenced by certain factors but there may be some room for manoeuvre as we have conscious control over much of our behaviour.

Question 7

What is biological determinism?

Answer 7

Behaviour is caused by biological forces we cannot control.
Genes (evolution)
Hormones (gender)
Brain function (neurotransmitters)

Question 8

What is environmental determinism?

Answer 8

• Behaviour is caused by features of the environment we can’t control
• Classical and operant conditioning
• Influences of upbringing, other people

Question 9

What is psychic determinism?

Answer 9

Sees behaviour as determined by biological drives and instincts, and unconscious forces outside of our control.
Id/ego/superego conflict
Ego defences; denial, displacement, repression
Being in a particular psychosexual stage

Question 10

Why is the diathesis-stress model deterministic?

Answer 10

It shows a biological factor (genetic vulnerability) interacting with an environmental factor (stress) to cause an outcome.

Question 11

What are the advantages of determinism?

Answer 11

• Consistent with the aims of science
• Scientific study of cause and effect has allowed treatments and interventions to be used to improve human well-being
• No one would choose to have schizophrenia so free will can’t be the only explanation

Question 12

What are the disadvantages of determinism?

Answer 12

• Inconsistent with our legal system, religious views and personal experience
• Hard determinism is impossible to falsify and therefore is limited as a scientific explanation

Question 13

What are the advantages of free will?

Answer 13

• Consistent with everyday experience, our justice system and religious views
• Those with an internal locus of control are mentally healthier than those with an external locus, so just believing we can control events is helpful even if we cannot

Question 14

What are the disadvantages of free will?

Answer 14

• We can make predictions about behaviour particularly on a group level; this suggests people are not just making it up as they go along
• No one would choose to have schizophrenia and we can predict and prescribe successful treatments for disorders which indicates they have a chemical cause