free will + determinism

Question 1

free will

Answer 1

human beings are self-determining + able to choose our thoughts and actions, we are in control

e..g the humanistic approach

Question 2

determinism

Answer 2

the general idea that our traits + behaviours are outside of our control
= due to external or internal factors that we have no control over

Question 3

hard determinism

Answer 3

all of a person’s traits and behaviours are entirely out of the individual’s control
- incompatible with free will
- everything we thinks + feel is dictates by forces we can’t control or even be aware of

Question 4

soft determinism

Answer 4

traits and behaviours are determined by external or internal forces BUT, an individual can still exercise some control via thought processes

e.g. cognitive approach

Question 5

causal explanations

Answer 5

science is heavily deterministic in its search for causal relationships as it seeks to discover whether X causes Y or whether the independent variable causes changes in the dependant variable

Question 6

types of hard determinism

Answer 6

• biological determinism
• environmental determinism
• psychic determinism

Question 7

biological determinism

Answer 7

refers to the idea that all human behaviour is innate + determined by genes

Question 8

environmental determinism

Answer 8

the view that behaviour is determined or caused by forces outside the individual
= our behaviour is caused by previous experience learned through classical + operant conditioning

Question 9

psychic determinism

Answer 9

claims that human behaviour is the result of childhood experiences + innate drives (id, ego, superego) as in Freud’s model of psychological development

Question 10

ads of determinism

Answer 10

• conscious decision making
• scientific process
• treatment development

Question 11

disads of determinism

Answer 11

• free will = more face validity
• internal locus of control

Question 12

+ve = conscious decision making

Answer 12

psychologist demonstrated that the brain activity that determines simple choices occurs before we are even aware that we have made a choice
= e.g. parts were asked to decide if they wanted to push the button with their right hand or left hand
= brain scans revealed that decision was made up to 10 secs before reporting
= shows that they are making conscious decision making

Question 13

+ve = scientific processes

Answer 13

Determinism is fundamental to the scientific focus on investigating causes of behaviour and being able to predict behaviour

Question 14

+ve = treatment development

Answer 14

• the prediction + control of human behaviour has led to the development of treatments, therapies and behavioural interventions = beenficial
• e.g. psychotherapeutic drug treatment in managing SZ = cast doubt on the concept of free will cus no one would choose to have SZ

Question 15

-ve = free will = more face validity

Answer 15

• the idea of free will has more face validity (it makes common sense) than determinism
• everyday experience gives people the impression that they are constantly exercising free will through the choices they make on any given day

Question 16

-ve = internal locus of control

Answer 16

• People with an internal locus of control, who believe they have a high degree of control over their behaviour and their life, are more mentally healthy
• psych demonstrated that adolescents who had a strong belief that their lives were determined by events outside of their control = higher risk of developing depression
• thinking we have free will = positive impact on mind + behaviour