Free Will And Determinism Flashcards
Free Will
Notion we make choices
W/o external forces
PPL have own active role X responsible
Determinism
Indiv behaviour
= shaped by in/external forces
Not own thoughts
Behaviour predictable
NO CONTROL
Hard determinism
ALL behaviour has cause
Free Will is an illusion
E.g biology or past
Soft determinism
Some behaviour is predictable
Still (limited) room for personal choice
Only constrained to certain extent
Element of free will
Biological determinism
Behaviour = caused by…
Genetic, hormonal, evolutionary
Influences we cannot control
Ppl bio machines
Environmental determinism
Behaviour caused by…
Environ: systems of reward x punishment
=Influences we cannot control
E.g. SLT
Psychic determinism
Behaviour caused by…
Unconscious psychodynamic conflicts
=Influences we cannot control
E.g. childhood experiences
Scientific emphasis on casual explanations
Every event has cause- science as deterministic
Determinism about causation
Allows psychs to control x predict behaviour
AO3: ✅ Free Will
Improves mental health
Roberts- teens who believed in fatalism= depressed
Ppl need liberation x agency
AO3: ❌ Free Will
Intangible
Cannot test
Not measurable
Qu reality X existence
Less credible
AO3: ✅ Determinism
Established psych as science
Explains root cause
AO3: ❌ Determinism
Not consistent
With IRL
Legal system- criminals responsible
