Free will and determinism

Question 1

What is free will?

Answer 1

The notion that humans can make choices, and are not determined by biological or external factors. Individuals have an active role in controlling their behaviour (advocated by the humanistic approach).

Question 2

What is an example of free will in psychology?

Answer 2

Humanism - Rogers and Maslow believed that humans are self determining. This means that they are not affected by external or internal influences, but are active agents who are unique.

Question 3

What is determinism?

Answer 3

The view that an individual’s behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces, rather than an individual’s will to do something. This means that behaviour is predictable and lawful

Question 4

What is determinism?

Answer 4

The view that an individual’s behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces, rather than an individual’s will to do something. This means that behaviour is predictable and lawful

Question 5

What are the two types of determinism?

Answer 5

• Hard determinism: the very extreme position that always assumes that everything we think and do is dictated by internal/external forces that we cannot control. All human behaviour has a cause and it should be possible to identify these causes.
• Soft determinism: acknowledges that all human action has a cause and is partly caused by external events, but free will still exists as people have conscious mental control over the way they behave.

Question 6

What are some examples of determinism in psychology?

Answer 6

• Biological approach: human behaviours have genetic bases. E.g. the role of testosterone in aggression. Dolan (2001) found a positive correlation between testosterone levels and aggressive behaviours in a sample of 60 male offenders.
• Biological determinism
• Environmental determinism
• Psychic determinism