free will versus determinism Flashcards
what is free will?
the belief that individuals have the ability to make choices and decisions that are not predetermined by external factors or events. it suggests that human beings have the power to act freely and independently, based on their own thoughts, feelings and desires.
what is the free will versus determinism debate concerned with?
the extent to which human behaviour is the result of forces in which we can’t control or whether people are able to decide for themselves whether to act or behave in a certain way
what is determinism?
the belief that all events, including human actions and decisions, are ultimately determined by preexisting causes or conditions. it suggests that that the choices we make are not truly free, but rather the result of a complex chain of cause-and-effect relationships.
what is soft determinism?
our behaviour is shaped by our biology or environment but only to some extent as there is an element of free will in behaviour
what are some approaches that follow soft determinism?
cognitive approach
social learning theory
what is hard determinism?
all behaviour has a cause, there is no such thing as freewill, its an illusion.
what are some approaches that follow hard determinism?
behaviourism
biological approach
what is biological determinism?
our behaviour is innate and determined by our genetics/hormones/brain structure
what is environmental determinism?
our behaviour is caused by previous experiences, upbringing and/or learned through conditioning
what is psychic determinism?
our behaviour is the result of childhood experience and innate unconscious drives (ID,EGO,SUPEREGO)
what is the scientific emphasis on causal explanations:
deterministic views of behaviour are more aligned to the principles of science. this because science aims to find causes and attempts to make laws regarding behaviour which allows predicted to be made.
AO3: how is ‘brain scans’ a strength to determinism in the free will versus determinism debate?
Libet (1985) demonstrated that brain activity determines the outcome of simple choices we make before we are aware of having made such choice. the researchers found that the activity related to when a participant chose to flick their wrist occurs in both the brain up to half a second before patients report being consciously aware of making such decision. this goes against the idea of free will because it suggests that elements of our biology are already being drafted into our decision making before we are even consciously aware of our decision choice.
AO3: how is ‘strong internal locus of control’ a strength to free will in the free will versus determinism debate?
research suggests that people who have internal locus control tend to be more mentally healthy. in contrast, Roberts (2000) demonstrated that adolescents who believed in fatalism were at significantly greater risk of depression. this suggests that the thought of having free will can have a positive impact on our life and wellbeing.
AO3: how is ‘deterministic view of criminal behaviour is undesirable’ a limitation to determinism in the free will versus determinism debate?
in a court of law, offenders are held morally accountable for their actions and have excersized free will in their crimes. this goes against a deterministic approach as it suggests we are in control of our own behaviours and that free will can override any ‘biologically determined’ influence. furthermore, a determanistic approach implies that punishment may have no effect on an individual as there unlikely to change.
AO3: how is ‘determinism is more scientific’ a limitation to free will in the free will versus determinism debate?
deterministic approaches are more scientific. scientific views are more desirable as they imply that human behaviour can be both predicted and controlled. this has led to treatments, therapies and behavioural interventions being developed that have benefited many. e.g. drug treatments in controlling and managing mental disorders such as OCD or schizophrenia and behavioural therapies for phobias have all been effective in treating patients succesfully
