Free Will And Determinism Flashcards
What is free will
It is the idea that humans are self determining and free to choose their own thoughts and actions
What is determinism
Is the idea that all behaviors is caused by internal and external forces so therefore it is predictable
What is an example of a free will approach
Humanistic Approach
- the humanistic approach believe that all individuals are unique amend drive to achieve their maximum potential (self actualization) so it is up to them
What are examples of deterministic approaches
The Biological approach, Behaviorism, The Psychodynamic approach and the Learning theory
What are the two types of determinism
Hard determinism and Soft determinism
What is hard determinism
Is the believe that all human behavior has a cause and free will is an illusion
Name the three types of hard determinism, explain them and give examples
Biological determinism
- the belief that behavior is caused by biological influences e.g the Autonomic nervous system on stress responses
Environment determinism
- the belief that behavior is caused by forces outside of an individual e.g that behavior comes from conditioning
Psychic determinism
- the belief that behavior is a result of childhood, unresolved conflicts, the ID Superego and Ego e.g the Psychodynamic approach
What is soft determinism, explain it and give an example
Suggest that behavior has a cause but there is room for flexibility e.g The learning theory
- they argue that we learn behavior through observation but we choose whether to carry out that behavior
Evaluation- Face Validity
Free will has face validity as every day experiences make us feel like we have free will, we decide what we wear, what we eat, what music to listen to etc
Evaluation- Research support
Research on free will has been made
- people with an internal locus of control act according to their own values and beliefs —> emphasising that there is free will
Evaluation- Neurological studies
These studies are against free will
- it shows that the brain already decides what is going to happen before we decide, this shows that everything is already decided and determined
Evaluation- scientific aims
This is an advantage for determinism
- it aligns with the aims of psychology as they seek to find the cause of behavior so they offer scientific explanations
Evaluation- Treatments
The idea that behavior is predictable and can be controlled has led to a development in treatments and therapy e.g drug treatments for schizophrenia and depression
Evaluation- Legal issues
Legal experts do not favor the deterministic approach as it could undermined the personal responsibility and prove excuses for criminal acts
