Free will and determinism Flashcards
If our behaviour is a matter of free will, what does this mean?
Selected without constraint
We are the product of a set of internal and/or external influences that impact who we are and what we do. This is what kind of view?
A determinist view
The notion of free will suggests that human beings are essentially self-___________
determining
The notion of free will suggests that human beings are essentially self-determining. What does this mean?
Free to choose their own thoughts and actions
True/False: A belief in free will denies that there are many biological and environmental forces that exert some influence on behaviour
False, it implies that we are able to reject these forces if we wish
Believing in free will implies that we do what to the many environmental and biological forces that exert influence on behaviour?
We are able to reject these if we wish
A belief in free will implies we are able to reject biological and environmental forces that exert some influence on behaviour because…
we are in control of our thoughts/behaviour
Free will is a view of human behaviour that is advocated by which approach?
The humanistic approach
One strength of free will/determinism is its practical value
free will
The common sense view is that we exercise free choice in our everyday lives on a daily basis. This is an example of free will/determinism
free will
The common-sense view is that we exercise free choice in our everyday lives on a daily basis. Even if this is not the case, thinking we do can improve…
our mental health
What did Roberts et al. (2000) look at?
Adolescents who had a strong belief in fatalism
Roberts et al. (2000) looked at adolescents who had a strong belief in fatalism. What does this mean?
Their lives were ‘decided’ by events outside their control
What did Roberts et al. (2000) find in their study into adolescents who had a strong belief in fatalism?
These adolescents were at significantly greater risk of developing depression
Why did Roberts et al. (2000) find ghat adolescents who had a strong belief in fatalism were at significantly greater risk of developing depression?
It seems that people who exhibit an external locus of control are less likely to be optimistic rather than internal
It seems that people who exhibit an external locus of control are more/less likely to be optimistic
less
Brain scan evidence supports free will/determinism
determinism
Libet et al. (1983) instructed participants to…
choose a random moment to flick their wrist
What did Libet et al. (1983) do whilst instructing participants to choose a random moment to flick their wrist?
Measure brain activity
Libet et al. (1983) measured brain activity whilst instructing participants to choose a random moment to flick their wrist. This brain activity is called what?
Readiness potential
In Libet et al. (1983)’s study, participants had to say when they…
felt the conscious will to move
What did Libet et al. (1983) find about the unconscious brain activity leading up to the conscious decision to move?
It came around half a second before the participant consciously felt they had decided to move
Libet et al. (1983) found that the unconscious brain activity leading up to the conscious decision to move came around how long before the participant consciously felt they had decided to move?
Half a second
Libet et al. (1983) found that the unconscious brain activity leading up to the conscious decision to move came around half a second before the participant consciously felt they had decided to move. This may be interpreted as meaning that…
even our most basic experiences of free will are actually determined by our brain before we are even aware of them
Libet et al. (1983)’s findings showing that the brain is involved in decision making is/isn’t surprising
isn’t
In Libet et al. (1983)’s findings, just because the action comes before the conscious awareness of the decision to act doesn’t…
mean that there was no decision made
In Libet et al. (1983)’s findings, just because the action comes before the conscious awareness of the decision to act doesn’t mean that there was no decision made, just that…
the decision to act took time to reach consciousness
In Libet et al. (1983)’s findings, just because the action comes before the conscious awareness of the decision to act doesn’t mean that there was no decision made, just that the decision to at took time to reach consciousness. Our conscious awareness of the decision is simply a ‘…
read-out’ of our unconscious decision-making
The fact that Libet et al. (1983)’s findings showing that the brain is involved in decision-making isn’t surprising suggests that this evidence is…
not appropriate as a challenge to free will
One of the basic principles of science is that every event in the universe has a _____
cause
Causes can be explained using g______ l___
general laws
Causes can be explained using general laws. What is this an example of?
Hard determinism
Why is knowledge of causes and the formulation of laws importent?
This allows scientists to predict and control events in the future
In psychology, which type of experiment is the ideal of science?
Lab
Why is the lab experiment the ideal of science (in psychology)?
Enables researchers to demonstrate causal relationships like the test tube in other sciences where all variables can be controlled
Which type of psychological experiment is like the test tube in other sciences where all variables can be controlled?
Lab experiment
True/False: Most approaches in psychology are determinist to some extent
True
True/False: Different approaches disagree on what the precise causes of human behaviour are
True
The biological approach suggests that the precise causes of human behaviour are…
internal. They could be nature or nurture
The behaviourist approach suggests that the precise causes of human behaviour are…
external
The humanistic approach embraces the concept of which key debate?
Free will
Determinism proposes that free will…
has no place in explaining behaviour
What is hard determinism sometimes referred to as?
Fatalism
Hard determinism suggests that all human behaviour has…
a cause
Hard determinism would suggest that in principle, it should be possible to identify and describe…
the causes of all human behaviour
Which type of determinism assumes that everything we think and do is dictated by internal or external forces that we cannot control?
Hard determinism
James (1890) was the first to put forward the notion of what?
Soft determinism
James (1890) thought that whilst it may be the job of scientists to explain what determines our behaviour, this does not detract from the…
freedom we have to make rational conscious choices in everyday situations
Soft determinism is an important feature of which approach?
The cognitive approach
Biological determinism
The belief that behaviour is caused by biological influences that we cannot control
Give 2 examples of biological influences that we cannot control that biological determinism would suggest are causes of behaviour
Any 2 from genetic, hormonal and evolutionary
What did Skinner describe free will as?
‘An illusion’
Skinner argued that all behaviour is the result of what?
Conditioning
Skinner argued that all behaviour is the result of conditioning, although…
we might think we are acting independently
Environmental determinism would suggest that our experience of ‘choice’ is merely…
the sum total of reinforcement contingencies that have acted upon us throughout our lives
What did Freud believe that free will is?
An illusion
Freud emphasised the influence of what on behaviour?
Biological drivers and instincts
Freud saw human behaviour as determined by…
unconscious conflicts
True/False: Freud argued that accidents existed
False, he argued that there is no such thing as an accident
Freud argued that even something seemingly random as a ‘slip of the tongue’ can be explained by…
the influence of the unconscious
Freud would argue for which type of determinism?
Psychic determinism
Skinner would argue for which type of determinism?
Environmental determinism
One limitation of free will/determinism is the position of the legal system on responsibility
determinism
The hard deterministic stance is that individual choice is…
not the cause of behaviour
True/False: The hard determinist stance is consistent with the way in which our legal system operates
False, it is not
The main principle of our legal system is that a defendant exercised their…
free will in committing the crime
In a court of law, offenders are held responsible for their actions. How does this go against determinism?
The main principle of our legal system is that a defendant exercised their free will in committing the crime
The legal system suggests what about determinist arguments in the real world?
They don’t work
True/False: Hard determinism has produced many effective real-world applications
True
Give an example of an effective real-world application produced by hard determinism?
Any from therapies and behavioural interventions
Free will has intuitive appeal as most of us see ourselves as…
making our own choices rather than being ‘pushed’ by forces we cannot control
Free will may be liberating for some people in terms of ‘not…
accepting one’s fate’
Free will may be liberating for some people in terms of ‘not accepting one’s fate’ if they come from…
a criminal background or there is a mental disorder in their family for instance
The free will/determinism debate has helped establish psychology as a science. We should consider which…
of the two approaches psychology should pursue
