Free Will & Determinism

Question 1

Free will

Answer 1

People make choices about their actions and is capable of self determinisatiom, they are in control of their future

Question 2

Determinism

Answer 2

Human behaviour is caused by factors a person cannot control, these forces can be internal or external

Question 3

Soft determinism

Answer 3

All behaviour has a cause but people have a conscious choice about their actions

Question 4

Who were kray twins

Answer 4

Famous criminals from London who were sentenced to life in prison

Question 5

Free will viewpoint of kray twins

Answer 5

They chose to commit the crimes

Question 6

Determinist viewpoint of kray twins

Answer 6

Influences out of their control led to this behaviour

Question 7

Hard determinism

Answer 7

Also referred to as fatalism because everything we do is government by internal or external forces that can’t be controlled by the person

Question 8

Which type of determinism links to science

Answer 8

Hard determinism - suggests we should always be able to find a cause of behaviour

Question 9

Soft determinism

Answer 9

Put forward by William and James who accept behaviour has a cause but suggests people have some mental control over their behaviour

Question 10

3 explanations of hard determinism

Answer 10

Psychic, biological, environmental

Question 11

Psychic determinism

Answer 11

Freud thought free will is an illusion and emphasises determining influences on behaviour, also suggested behaviour is never accidental

Question 12

Biological determinism

Answer 12

Genetics, hormones and evolution play a role in personality, health and intelligence

Question 13

Environmental determinism

Answer 13

Skinner said free will is an illusion and free will is a result of conditioning and reinforcement, behaviour is shaped by events and socialising agents

Question 14

Examples of soft determinism

Answer 14

Banduras leanring theory because environmental factors like reinforcement in learning are important but people can choose whether they behave a certain way

Question 15

Strength of free will

Answer 15

Evidence to support concept - people exercise choice in everyday life, linked to humanistic theories which suggest people need to be self determining and able to make choices to be emotionally healthy

Question 16

Weakness of free will

Answer 16

Skinner and Freud suggested free will is an illusion, libert neuroscience study measured brain activity when making decisions and brain activity increased before person decided to react, showing the brain determines the decisions

Question 17

Strength of determinism

Answer 17

Consistent with aims of science. Deterministic approach believes all behaviour is caused and this allows general laws to be made. Scientific research shares this belief allowing for controlled research in a range of areas, these can be replicated and give statistical data that can be analysed

Question 18

Weakness of determinism

Answer 18

Incompatible with legal system - we can’t hold people responsible to their crime if they didn’t chose to commit it and therefore has limited application in legal settings therefore courts should considers soft determinism approach

Question 19

Soft determinism strength

Answer 19

Good application in treatment. Elements of free will in choosing individual goals for therapy. Determinism approach to treatment if given medication to manage biological determinate of self control, reliable and worthwhile treatments