Free will and Determinism

Question 1

What is determinism?

Answer 1

The view that behaviour is controlled by internal or external factors

Question 2

Describe biological determinism

Answer 2

• The idea that behaviour is controlled by genetics or physiological factors
• Research into the genome produces evidence of genetic influences on behaviour. Genes then influence brain structure and neurotransmitters (e.g. serotonin and dopamine)

Question 3

Give an example of biological determinism (psychopathology)

Answer 3

The biological approach to OCD explains how there is certain inherited genes related to the onset of OCD (e.g. SERT gene and COMT gene)

Question 4

Describe environmental determinism

Answer 4

• The idea that behaviour is controlled by the physical environment
• Behaviourists believe all behaviour is caused by previous experience

Question 5

Give an example of environmental determinism

Answer 5

The behavioural approach to phobias explains how phobias may develop as a result of conditioning and such phobic responses can be unlearnt through conditioning too (systematic desensitisation)

Question 6

Describe psychic determinism

Answer 6

The idea that behaviour is controlled by childhood experiences and innate drives

Question 7

Give an example of psychic determinism

Answer 7

• Freud’s theory suggest behaviour is determined by innate drives and childhood experiences.
• He argues behaviour is driven by the libido, which focuses on erogenous zones. If a child is overindulged at any stage of development, the libido remains tied and the individual is fixated on that zone.
• The method of obtaining satisfaction that characterised the stage will dominate their adult personality

Question 8

Describe scientific determinism

Answer 8

• When scientific research is based on the belief that all events have a cause
• An independent variable is manipulated to observe the causal effect on a dependent variable

Question 9

Give an example of scientific determinism

Answer 9

• Harlow’s research involved an independent variable (wire mother with milk or cloth covered) and dependent variable (attachment formed)
• Result showed contact comfort, not food, determined the formation of attachment

Question 10

What is soft determinism?

Answer 10

A version of determinism that allows for some element of free will

Question 11

What is hard determinism?

Answer 11

The view that all behaviour can be predicted and there’s no free will

Question 12

What are examples of soft determinism?

Answer 12

• Cognitive approach: Behaviour may be controlled by cognitive processes but humans still have choice
• SLT: People have some choice in whether they imitate or not

Question 13

What is free will?

Answer 13

Each individual has the power to make choices about their behaviour

Question 14

Describe the humanistic approach as an example of free will

Answer 14

• Maslow and Rogers argue self-determination was a necessary part of behaviour. Without it, self actualisation isn’t possible.
• Rogers claims as long as an individual is controlled by others, they can’t take responsibility for their behaviour and can’t change it
• Only when someone takes self-responsibility for their behaviour, is personal growth possible

Question 15

Give evaluation for free will (supporting free will)

Answer 15

• The idea we exercise choice everyday, suggests the notion of free will has intuitive appeal
• This has allowed for moral responsibility (idea that people are in charge of their own actions) and has led to the laws being based on this e.g. Humans are accountable
• Therefore, free will seems to align with typical human experience and helps support the judicial system in society

Question 16

Give evaluation for free will (locus of control)

Answer 16

• The idea that we have a locus of control can be used to discuss the benefits of free will
• People with high internal locus of control are more likely to exercise free will. Research shows those with an internal locus of control tend to be more mentally healthy.
• Roberts et al found adolescents with a strong belief in fatalism or a high external locus of control (their lived were determined by events outside of their control) were at a greater risk to develop depression
• Therefore, even if we don’t free will, there are still psychological benefits of believing we do

Question 17

Give evaluation for free will (against free will)

Answer 17

• Believing in free will may have a positive impact but this doesn’t provide supporting evidence.
• Binet’s study had participants wired to EEG and were asked to flic their wrist whenever they felt like it and they noted the time they made a conscious decision
• Brain activity showed the initiation of movement 100’s of ms before they made conscious movement. Suggesting the conscious decision is after the actual action has initiated, showing that free will may be an illusion
• However the idea of ‘free wont’ argues there’s still time to consciously stop the behaviour.

Question 18

Give evaluation for determinism (supporting determinism)

Answer 18

• Determinism may be useful as it’s encouraged drug therapies, psychotherapies, behavioural interventions and more. These have all come from taking a deterministic stance on behaviour.
• These are all linked to hypothesis testing (determining cause and effect) which are features of science as science is also concerned with making predictions, which has been allowed through the deterministic view

Question 19

Give evaluation for determinism (against determinism)

Answer 19

• The hard determinist stance isn’t consistent with the way in which our legal system works.
• In court, offenders are held morally accountable for their actions, suggesting determinism may cause difficulties in how people are punished for certain behaviours
• Therefore determinism may not be applicable to our current society