Free will and Determisim Flashcards
What does the free will and determinism debate focus on?
whether we are in control of what we do.
What does the free will and determinism debate consider?
the extent to which behaviour is the result of controllable conscious decision and autonomous choice and the result of uncontrollable internal factors (e.g. biological, unconscious) or external factors (e.g. environmental).
What is free will?
the idea that humans are free to choose their own thoughts and actions therefore having an active role in controlling their behaviour
What does free will view humans as?
self-governing therefore they are not acting in response to any external or internal pressures.
Why is mental health not compatible with free will?
-no one chooses to be mentally ill- not governed by free will- MI is somewhat deterministic
What is determinism?
the idea that human behaviours are controlled- they are the result of causal factors therefore, we have no choice in our behaviour
What does determinism say or behaviour is governed by?
internal forces such as genes and hormones or external forces such as upbringing
How does determinism view behaviour?
As predictable because the approach proposes that all behaviour is caused
What do mental health more compatible with?
something scientific because it can be predicted
What is hard determinism sometimes referred to as?
fatalism
What does hard determinism do?
says that behaviour is the result of forces which are entirely out of the control of the individual and therefore freewill is not possible. -Since all behaviour has a cause, it should be possible to identify these causes.
-Therefore, hard determinism is highly compatible with the aims of science; to uncover causal laws
What does soft determinism do?
take a less extreme view- Whilst acknowledging all human action has a cause, it suggests humans have the opportunity to exercise freewill
What does soft determism suggest?
that traits and behaviours are still governed by external and internal forces but an individual can exert some conscious mental control over the way they behave in some circumstances, despite the fact we have many determining forces guiding our behaviour
What is biological determinism?
a type of (hard) determinism which suggests all human behaviour is controlled by internal forces and has its origins in aspects of our biology, e.g. genes, biochemistry and brain structure and function
What is proposed in biological determinism?
the individual has no control over these systems and therefore behaviour is the result of how these systems work and interact
What are examples of biological determinism?
-schizophrenia
-ocd
-Criminal behaviour
What is environmental determinism?
is a type of (hard) determinism which suggests all human behaviour is controlled by external influences, e.g. experiences, upbringing and society, and has its origins in stimulus-response learning- (Many psychologists including Skinner (1971) suggest freewill is an illusion and people are ‘tricked’ into believing they have the ability to choose)
What is proposed by environmental determinism?
human behaviour is the result of specific physical and psychological reinforcers and punishments which are continuously received throughout life. Therefore, although we may think we are acting independently; our behaviour is actually the result of environmental events as well as our interactions with agents of socialisation (e.g. parents, institutions)- Thus suggesting it is the environmental response to our behaviours which will determine whether those behaviours continue.
What are examples of environmental determinism?
OC (behaviour shaping)
What is psychic determinism?
idea that human behaviour is governed by unconscious mental processes, instincts and drives and is rooted in childhood experiences
-Individuals may believe they are exercising free choice but Freud suggested this is an illusion and what really motivates behaviour are these hidden unconscious processes
How is psychic determinism similar to biological determinism?
in that human thought and behaviour is determined by internal factors beyond the person’s control however these internal factors are psychic rather than biological in origin
What is suggested by the scientific emphasis on causal explanations?
• The basic principles of science are that all events have a cause and can be explained through general laws
What does the scientific emphasis on causal explanations attempt to do?
isolate the cause of particular human behaviours enables cause and effect to be established
What allows scientists to predict outcomes (then scientific emphasis on causal explanations)?
knowledge of the causes, and understanding of the laws
What is determinism all about? The (Scientific Emphasis on Causal Explanations)
causation- a determinist argument must be able to show that behaviour has been caused by something that is not within the individual’s control
When is it thought that the evidence is more persuasive? (The Scientific Emphasis on Causal Explanation)
if it is the result of scientific experimentation- Laboratory experiments, which adopt the features of the scientific approach (objectivity, replicability) allows research to observe the effect of the IV whilst eliminating and controlling extraneous variables.
