Free Will & Determinism Flashcards
Free Will
1) Idea that we choose how we behave.
2) Behaviour is not determined by biological, external factors or past behaviour.
3) This is the view of Humanistic Approach.
Free Will & Subjectivity
Free will can be subjective.
1) Some people may believe that they are choosing how to behave, but may actually be governed by external forces.
E.g. School children may feel like they are making decisions about their appearance, but are actually conforming to the norm of the majority.
Determinism - Soft/Hard
1) Soft - All behaviour has a cause but we have freedom to make choices within a restricted range of options. (e.g. behaviourism)
Hard (fatalism ) - All behaviour is determined and has a cause & should be able to identify causes.
Biological - Biological Determinism
Biological Approach
1) Emphasises role of biological influences in behaviour - e.g. genetics, hormones & brain structure.
E.g. SZ being caused by genetics and abnormalities in brain structures// Mental health caused by abnormal hormone levels.
Behaviourist - Environmental Determinism
Behaviourist Approach
1) Skinner described free will as an ‘illusion’ & that behaviour is based on environmental influences a result of conditioning and reinforcement.
Psychodynamic - Psychic Determinism
Psychodynamic Approach
1) Freud agreed free will is like an illusion but placed more of an emphasis on the influence of biological drives and instincts than Behaviourists.
2) Sees all human behaviour as determined and directed by unconscious conflicts repressed in childhood.
Cognitive Approach - Combination
Combination of free will and determinism.
Deterministic:
1) Brain receives external sensory info and processes this info –> The processing will lead to different behaviours.
2) People’s brain structure and cognitive ability can have genetic roots.
Free Will:
1) Use cognitive reasoning to make decisions –> People can make choices by thinking about them.
Both - People are influenced by outside behaviours and their own brain structure (deterministic) but can impose reasoning on their thinking (free will).
Humanistic Approach - Free Will
Based more on free will.
1) Humanists believe that people can choose how to behave to achieve their full potential - All individuals control their behaviour.
Strength of Free Will
PRACTICAL VALUE:
1) Looked at adolescents who had strong beliefs in fatalism –> they were at a greater risk of developing depression - ppl who exhibit an internal LOC are more likely to be optimistic.
–> Suggests even if we don’t have free will, the fact that we believe we do may have a positive impact on mind & behaviour.
Limitation of Free Will
EVIDENCE SUPPORTS DETERMINISM:
1) Pps asked to randomly flick wrists & say when they felt the will to move - brain activity was measured.
2) Unconscious brain activity leading to conscious decision to move came half a sec before pps’ conscious decision to move.
–> Suggest our most basic experiences of free will may be determined by our brain before we are aware of them.
Limitation of Determinism
ROLE OF RESPONSIBILITY IN LAW:
1) Hard determinist stance isn’t consistent with how our legal system operates - In court offenders are held responsible for their actions & main principle is that defendant exercised their free will in committing the crime.
–> Suggest in real world, determinist arguments don’t work.
Determinism Evaluation
STRENGTHS:
1) The entire physical universe operates on the deterministic principle - The universe is full of cause and effect relationships.
–> So the deterministic view is scientific as we can use past events in similar situations to predict future behaviours.
WEAKNESSES:
2) Unfalsifiable - research cannot be proved wrong, which is a benchmark of science.
Determinism makes the assumption that behaviours are based on past events or causes, which may or may not be discovered.
