Free Will and Determinism - Issues and Debates

Question 1

What is free will

Answer 1

• Free Will suggests that we all have a choice and can control and choose our own behavior.
• This approach is all about personal responsibility and plays a central role in Humanist Psychology.

Question 2

Strengths of the idea of free will

Answer 2

• It emphasises the importance of the individual and studying individual differences.
• It fits society’s view of personal responsibility e.g. if you break the law you should be punished.
• The idea of self-efficacy is useful in therapies as it makes them more effective.

Question 3

Limitations of the idea of free will

Answer 3

• Free will is subjective and some argue it doesn’t exist.
• It is impossible to scientifically test the concept of free will.
• Few people would agree that behavior is always completely under the control of the individual.

Question 4

What is determinism

Answer 4

The determinist approach proposes that all behavior is determined and thus predictable.

Question 5

Environmental determinism

Answer 5

Environmental (External) Determinism: This is the idea that our behavior is caused by some sort of outside influence e.g. parental influence.

Skinner (1971) argued that freedom is an illusion. We may think we have freewill but the probability of any behavior occurring is determined by past experiences.

Skinner claimed that free will was an illusion – we think we are free, but this is because we are not aware of how our behavior is determined by reinforcement.