Debates-Freewill/Determinism

Question 1

Free will

Answer 1

We are able to choose how we behave in a given situation

Question 2

Determinism

Answer 2

Our behaviour is caused (determined) by factors outside of our control. This could be as a result of genetics, or other biological factors such as brain functioning, it could be as a result of our past experiences and upbringing, or it could be due to the situation we are in and our environment.

Question 3

Deterministic studies

Answer 3

Bandura’s study suggests that behaviour is determined by our environment and by learning from adult role models. The children’s aggression was determined by the aggression they had witnessed.

Loftus and Palmer’s study suggests that even our memory can be determined by outside factors. The study showed that people’s memory (of the speed the vehicle was going and whether they saw broken glass) was affected by the words used to question them - if they heard ‘smashed’ or ‘hit’.

Question 4

How does Milligram link to the free/Determinism debate

Answer 4

Determinism- The 65 percent of participants who administered electric to the learner all the way up to maxim 450 volts can be seen as their behavior determined by the situation they were in.
Freewill- 14/40 participants did not continue until full 450 volts and choose to stop (exercising their freewill).

Question 5

Strengths of freewill

Answer 5

• Not socially sensitive- people will often like to feel that they have control over their behaviour
• Useful- people can be held to account for the behaviours they carry out
• Has face validity in the sense that people often feel that their behaviours are their chocies

Question 6

Weaknesses of Freewill

Answer 6

• Hard to prove: what seems like freewill could just be a response to a different (perhaps unknown) determinant
• It suggests no predictability or pattern to behaviour reducing the usefulness of psychological research
• Socially sensitive: people may find it uncomfortable being told that they were responsible for how they choose to act

Question 7

Determinism strengths

Answer 7

• Open to positive uses- if we know what causes a wanted behaviour, we can make the behaviour occur again
• It is scientific as determinist explanations often arise from controlled experiments in which cause and effect has been established
• Recongises that people cannot always be held to account or blamed for their actions

Question 8

Weaknesses of Determinism

Answer 8

• Open to negative uses for example lawyers could use determinsit explanations to get guilty people acquired
• Socially sensitive people may find it uncomfortable being told that they are not in control of how they behave (that they are like machines)
• Can be reductionist researchers search for the cause of a particular behavior