Free Will and Determinism

Question 1

Explain the free will vs determinism debate

Answer 1

Explores the extent to which our thoughts and behaviour are influences by forces beyond our conscious control

Question 2

What is determinism?

Answer 2

The idea that all behaviour is the result of internal and/or external forces that we have no control over; implies behaviour is predictable

Question 3

What are the two types of determinism?

Answer 3

Hard and Soft determinism

Question 4

What is hard determinism?

Answer 4

The view that ALL behaviour is determined, there is no element of free will

Question 5

What is soft determinism?

Answer 5

Most behaviour is determined, however we have an element of free will

Question 6

What are the three types of hard determinism?

Answer 6

• Biological
• Psychic
• Environmental

Question 7

What is biological determinism? Give an example

Answer 7

• The idea that behaviour is innate and determined by biological influences, such as genetics
• Nestadt et al. (2010) reviewed 14 twin studies to see if their is a genetic vulnerability for developing OCD, and found high concordance rates in identical twins, demonstrating the role of genetics in causing OCD

Question 8

What is environmental determinism? Give an example

Answer 8

• Behaviour is caused by environmental forces, such as previous experience and learning through classical and operant conditioning
• Behaviourists believe phobias are acquired and maintained through conditioning, Watson and Rayner (1920) support this

Question 9

What is psychic determinism? Give an example

Answer 9

• Behaviour is the result of innate drives and unconscious conflicts repressed from childhood
• Psychodynamic approach suggests gender behaviours are acquired during the phallic stage, through the resolution of the Oedipus or Electra complex

Question 10

What is scientific determinism? Give an example

Answer 10

• Scientific research is based on causal relationships
• Repeating controlled conditions and performing statistical tests can help identify a ‘cause and effect’ relationships, increasing scientific credibility
• Harlows (1959) research

Question 11

Give an evaluation point to determinism

Answer 11

• Evidence against both genetic and environmental determinism
• Determinism provides an ‘excuse’
• Causal relationships are probabilistic

Question 12

Explain the evidence that challenges both genetic and environmental determinism

Answer 12

• Studies on MZ twins found 80% similarity for intelligence and 40% depression
• Shows both the environment and genes don’t fully determine behaviour
• An interactionist approach better represents reality

Question 13

Why does determinism provide an ‘excuse’

Answer 13

• Criminals have attempted to justify murder by claiming their behaviour is determined by inherited aggressive tendencies
• Stephen Mobley, claimed the reason he killed a pizza shop manager, was because he was ‘born to kill’, luckily the court didn’t believe it and he was sentenced to death

Question 14

Explain why causal relationships are probabilistic

Answer 14

• Chaos theory proposed that very small changes in initial conditions can subsequently result in major changes
• Causal relationships increase the likelihood of something occurring rather than being the sole determinant
• Determinism is oversimplified and unrealistic

Question 15

What is free will?

Answer 15

The ideas that individuals have the ability to make choices and decisions based on their volition

Question 16

Give an example of free will in psychology

Answer 16

• Humanistic psychology, believes people can ‘better themselves’ by taking responsibility for their actions, and controlling their own actions
• Moral responsibility, law states an individual is in charge of their own actions, unless a child or mentally ill

Question 17

Give an evaluation point to free will

Answer 17

• Free will is an illusion
• Research evidence challenges the idea of free will

Question 18

Explain the idea that free will is an illusion

Answer 18

• Skinner argued that free will is an illusion, and choices are determined by previous reinforcement experiences
• Self-determination is a cultural relative concept, suggesting free will is a product of socialisation and not something ‘real’

Question 19

Explain the research evidence that combats the free will standpoint

Answer 19

• Libed et al. (1983) found conscious decisions were simply a ‘read out’ of a predetermined action
• Chun Siong Soon et al. (2008) found activity in the prefrontal cortex up to 10 seconds before a person was aware of a decision to act
• However, Trevena and Miller (2009) showed brain activity was simply a ‘readiness to act’, rather than an intention to move