Free will and Determinism Flashcards
Free will
The notion that humans can make choices and their behaviour/thoughts are not determined by biological or external forces
Determinism
The view that an individuals behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces rather than and individual’s will to do something
5 types of determinism
Hard
Soft
Biological
Environmental
Psychic
Hard determinism
The view that all behaviour is caused by something (internal or external factors) so free will is an illusion (fatalism)
Soft determinism
The view that behaviour may be predictable (caused by internal/external factors) but there is also room for personal choice from a limited range of possibilities (restricted free will)
Biological determinism
- give an example
The belief that behaviour is caused by biological (genetic, hormonal, evolutionary) influences that we cannot control
e.g autonomic nervous system on stress or the influence of genes of mental health
Environmental determinism
- give an example
The belief that behaviour is caused by features of the environment (such as systems of reward and punishment) that we cannot control
e.g Skinner described free will as an ‘illusion’ and that all behaviour as the result of conditioning
Psychic determinism
- give an example
The belief that behaviour is caused by unconscious psychodynamic conflicts that we cannot control
e.g Fraud emphasises the influence of biological drives and unconscious conflicts repressed in childhood
INTRO
The psychology argument over whether our behaviour is determined by internal and external factors or if we have some influence over it has been characterised by free will versus determinism.
EVALUATION: Evidence doesn’t support free will, it supports determinism
Research on decision-making in the nervous system has provided evidence against free will.
Research by Libet (1985) and Soon et al. (2008) has shown that the way our brain functions dictates how basic decisions turn out, even before we are aware that we made them.
Researchers discovered that up to 10 seconds before participants report being consciously aware of making such a decision, brain activity related to whether to press a button with the left or right hand takes place.
This demonstrates how our brains decide and determine even the most basic experiences of free will before we are aware of them.
EVALUATION: Hard determinism - criticism
Many legal experts, psychologists, and theorists oppose deterministic viewpoints because they believe that behaviour determined by external factors could be used as justification for criminal activity.
For instance, Stephen Mobley claimed, after killing the manager of a pizza shop, that he was “born to kill” since his family was violent and aggressive (an argument that an American court rejected).
Hence, a Hard Determinism perspective might be unfavourable since it offers an “excuse,” enabling individuals to lessen their own guilt and raise complex legal questions about the nature of intent and responsibility.
It implies that behaviour is not caused by personal choice, which is inconsistent with how our legal system functions; criminals are held morally responsible for their actions in a court of law.
EVALUATION: Free will - strength
It has practical value
Roberts et al. studied teenagers who firmly believed in fatalism, the idea that circumstances outside of their control “decided” their life. Their chances of getting depression were higher.
Individuals with an internal locusof control as opposed to an external one are probably more optimistic. This implies that, even in the unlikely event that we lack free will, our belief in it can have a beneficial effect on our thoughts and actions.
EVALUATION: Determinism - strength
It aligns with the goals of science.
Psychology and other more established sciences are placed on same footing by the idea that human behaviour is structured and regulated by laws.
Furthermore, the significance of this type of research is in the ability to predict and control human behaviour, which has aided in the creation of several therapies, treatments, and behavioural interventions. One such intervention is the use of psychotherapy drugs to control and manage SZ.
