Free Will vs Determinism

Question 1

Outline what is meant by free will

Answer 1

Humans = self-determining & free to choose own thoughts & actions
Belief in free will doesn’t deny there may be bio & environmental forces exerting some influence on behaviour - we’re able to reject these forces as we’re in control of our thoughts/behaviour
Advocated by humanist approach

Question 2

Outline hard determinism

Answer 2

AKA Fatalism - all human behaviour has cause & possible to identify & describe these
Always assumes everything we think & do = dictated by internal/external forces we can’t control

Question 3

Outline soft determinism

Answer 3

Put forward firstly by philosopher William James (1890) & important feature of cognitive approach
Whilst scientists’ job to explain what determines our behaviour, doesn’t detract from freedom we have to make rational conscious choices in everyday situations

Question 4

Outline biological determinism

Answer 4

Emphasises role of biological determinism in behaviour, e.g. influence of autonomic nervous system on stress response or genes on mental health
Modern bio psychs recognise mediating of environment on our bio structures

Question 5

Outline environmental determinism

Answer 5

B.F.Skinner outlined free will as ‘illusion’ & argued all behaviour result of conditioning
Although we might think we’re acting independently, our xp of choice = sum total of reinforcement contingencies that’ve acted upon us throughout our lives

Question 6

Outline psychic determinism

Answer 6

Sigmund Freud also believed free will is ‘Illusion’ but he emphasised influence of bio drives & instincts
Human behaviour determined by unconscious conflicts, repressed in childhood
No such thing as accidents, according to Freud - ‘slip of tongue’ can be explained by influence of unconscious

Question 7

Outline the scientific emphasis on causal explanations

Answer 7

Basic principle of science = every event in universe has cause & causes can be explained using general laws (hard determinism)
Knowledge of causes & formulation of laws are important as they allow scientists to predict & control events in future
In psych, lab experiment = ideal of science as it enables researchers to demonstrate casual relationships

Question 8

Discuss the free will vs determinism debate

Answer 8

Strength - Free Will - PRACTICAL VALUE
E.g. - Common-sense view that we exercise free choice in everyday life daily. Even if we don’t, thinking we do can improve mental health. Roberts et al. (2000) looked at adolescents who were fatalists & found they had significantly greater risk of depression. People who exhibit external locus of control less likely to be optimistic
Ex. - Even if we don’t have free will, fact we believe we do may have + impact on mind & behaviour

Limitation - Free Will - RESEARCH EVIDENCE - Doesn’t support FW, but does for D
E.g. - Libet et al. (1983) got parties to choose random moment to flick wrist while he measured activity in brain (readiness potential). Parties had to say when they felt conscious will to move. He found unconscious brain activity leading up to conscious decision to move came 1/2 second before parti consciously felt need to move
Ex. - May be interpreted as meaning even most basic xps of free will actually determined by our brain before we’re aware of them

Limitation - Determinism - THE LAW
E.g. Hard determinist stance = individual choice not cause of behaviour, which isn’t consistent with how legal system operates. Offenders held responsible for actions, main principle of legal system = defendant exercised free will in committing crime
Ex. - In real world, determinist arguments don’t work