Free will and determinism ID Flashcards
free will
the notion that humans can make choices and their behaviour/thoughts are not determined by biological or external forces
Humans are self-determining. The humanistic approach advocates free will highly.
Determinism
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
hard determinism
the view that all behaviour is caused by something so free will is an illusion
fatalism, behaviour has a cause, extreme position
soft determinism
the view that behaviour may be predictable but there is also room for personal choice from a limited range of possibilities
James, important feature in cognitive approach, freedom to make rational conscious choices in everyday situations
Biological determinism
the belief that behaviour is caused by biological influences that we cannot control
emphasised by biological approach, influence of autonomic nervous system on the stress response, or genes and mental health
Environmental determinism
the belief that behaviour is caused by features of the environment that we cannot control
Skinner described free will as an illusion as behaviour is as a result of conditioning, our experience of choice is the impact of reinforcement
Psychic determinism
the belief that behaviour is caused by unconscious psychodynamic conflicts that we cannot control
Freud believed free will is an illusion but we have biological drives and instincts, unconscious conflicts repressed in childhood
The scientific emphasis on causal explanations
- Causes can be explained by general laws (hard determinism)
- This knowledge is important for scientists
- Lab studies is ideal for determining causal relationships
practical value
strength
- There is a common sense view that we exercise free will in our everyday lives
- But thinking we do can improve our mental health
- Roberts et al looked at teenagers with a strong belief in fatalism
- They were significantly at greater risk of developing depression as people who have an external rather than internal locus of control are less likely to be optimistic
Even if we do not have free will, the fact that we believe we do may have a positive effect on behaviour.
The law
limitation
Limitation of determinism but strength for free will is the position of the legal system on responsibility
* Hard determinism
* Not consistent with the way our legal system operates
* The main principle of our legal system is that a defendant exercised their free will in committing a crime
In the real world, determinist arguments do not work.
research evidence counterpoint
strength
- Libets findings are just as we would expect
- Just because the action comes before the conscious awareness to act, doesn’t mean that there was no decision to act but that it took time for the decision to reach consciousness
Not appropriate to challenge free will
Research evidence
limitation
Brain scan evidence does not support free will but it does support determinism
* Libet et al instructed participants to choose a random moment to flick their wrist while he measured brain activity using an EEG
* Participants spoke when they felt the conscious will to move
* He found that the unconscious brain activity leading up to the conscious decision to move came around half a second before the participant consciously felt like they decided to move
Can be interpreted as meaning that the most basic experiences of free will are actually determined by our brain.