Free Will And Determinism

Question 1

Determinism

Answer 1

The belief that behaviour is controlled by external or internal factors acting upon the individual and beyond their control. There are 3 types of determinism: biological, environmental and psychic.

Question 2

Biological determinism

Answer 2

The view that behaviour is always caused by internal biological forces beyond our control, such as the influence of genes. For example, research on intelligence has identified particular genes in those with high intelligence. Also, genes which affect brain structure and neurotransmitter production (i.e. serotonin and dopamine) may also determine our behaviour e.g. the CDH-13 and MAOA gene being candidate genes for criminality.

Question 3

Environmental determinism

Answer 3

The belief that behaviour is caused by previous experience through classical and operant conditioning. i.e. phobias are a result of conditioning, as
demonstrated by Watson’s study on Little Albert and Skinner’s Box (operant conditioning determining the behaviour of lab rats). These are external forces, over which we have no control.

Question 4

Psychic determinism

Answer 4

Freud’s theory of personality suggests that adult behaviour is determined by a mix of innate drives and early experience. These result in unconscious
conflicts over which we have no control. For example, Freud’s psychosexual stages of development suggests that each stage is characterised by a conflict which, if unresolved, leads to fixation in adulthood e.g. anal expulsive personalities being the result of fixation at the anal stage.

Question 5

Free will

Answer 5

individual has the power to make choices about their behaviour, without being determined by internal or external forces beyond their control. A common feature of the humanistic approach.

Question 6

Hard determinism

Answer 6

The view that all behaviour can be predicted, according to the action of internal and external forces beyond our control, and so there can be no free will. For example, behaviourism suggests that all behaviour is the product of classical and operant conditioning, the biological approach sees behaviour as the product of genes and
neurochemistry, whilst social learning theory suggests that behaviour is the product of vicarious reinforcement and mediational processes.

Question 7

Soft determinism

Answer 7

A version of determinism that allows for some element of free will and suggests that all events, including human behaviour, has a cause. For example, the cognitive approach suggests that individuals can reason and make decisions within the limits of their cognitive system.

Question 8

AO3 for determinism and free will

Answer 8

1. 100% genetic determinism is unlikely to be found for any behaviour
2. A determinist position may be used for people to try and justify behaviours if they have committed a crime
3. Free will has good face validity (day to day lives)