Free-will vs Determinism

Question 1

What is determinism?

Answer 1

The view that an individual’s behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces rather than an individuals will to do something.

Assumes that behaviour is predictable and lawful.

Question 2

What is free-will?

Answer 2

Refers to the opposite of determinism, where an individual is seen as being capable of self-determination.

Individuals have an active role in controlling their behaviour.

Question 3

Where does the cognitive approach sit within the free will-determinism debate? Why?

Answer 3

Middle.

Sees humans as being able to reason and make conscious decisions within the limits of what they know of their ‘cognitive system’.

Question 4

Where does the biological approach sit within the free will-determinism debate? Why?

Answer 4

Far determinism.

Born equipped with internal characteristics, (internal forces).
However, twins studies potentially disproves this.

Question 5

Where does humanism sit within the free will-determinism debate? Why?

Answer 5

Far free-will.

Everyone tries to be their ideal self, all different and unique.
There is a free-choice for this to be acted on.

Question 6

Where does neo-behaviourism sit within the free will-determinism debate? Why?

Answer 6

Middle.

Acknowledges free will and recognised rule of learning.

Question 7

Where does behaviourism sit within the free will-determinism debate? Why?

Answer 7

Far determinism

We are born as a blank slate and the environment shapes us. They believe that the environment is the only determinant of behaviour.

Question 8

Where does the psychodynamic approach sit within the free will-determinism debate? Why?

Answer 8

Strong determinism.

It rejects the idea of free will, as person’s behaviour is determined by their unconscious motives which are shaped by their biological drives and their early experiences. However, Freud did support the concept of a moral responsibility, so potentially ideas of free-will.

Question 9

What are the 5 types of determinism?

Answer 9

Biological.

Environmental.

Hard.

Soft.

Psychic.

Question 10

Outline biological determinism.

Answer 10

The belief that behaviour is caused by biological (genetic, hormonal, evolutionary) influences that we can’t control.

Question 11

Outline environmental determinism.

Answer 11

The belief that behaviour is caused by features of the environment (systems of reward and punishment) that we cannot control.

Question 12

Outline hard determinism.

Answer 12

Sometimes referred to as fatalism.

Suggests that all human behaviour has a cause and in principle, it should be possible to identify and describe these causes.

It implies that free-will is not possible as our behaviour is always caused by internal or external forces beyond our control.

Question 13

Outline soft determinism.

Answer 13

Is the belief that all events, including human behaviour, have causes, but behaviour can also be determined by our conscious actions in the absence of coercion.

William James, (1880), was the first to put forward this idea of soft determinism; a position that later became an important feature of the cognitive approach.

Question 14

Outline psychic determinism.

Answer 14

The belief that behaviour is caused by unconscious conflicts that we cannot control.

Question 15

Outline the case study of Stephen Mobley.

Answer 15

Was a convicted murderer executed by the State of Georgia for the 1991 killing of John Collins, a 25-year-old college student at a Domino’s pizza store.

On appeal, Mobley’s attorneys argued that Mobley was genetically predisposed to seeking violent solutions to conflict.

The murder was apparently not results of evil free will, but of tragic consequences of gene disposition.

The judge denied the ‘evidence’, stating that the research was not yet strong enough to show a causal link between any possible genetic mutation and Mobley’s behaviour.

Mobley was executed in 2005.

Question 16

Outline the case study of Abdelmalek Bayout.

Answer 16

In 2007, Bayout admitted to stabbing and killing a man and received a sentenced of 9 years and 2 months.

An appeal court judge in Italy cut Bayout’s sentence by a year after finding out he had gene variants linked to aggression.

This leaves the question of whether the link is well enough understood to justify the judges, should genes ever be considered a legitimate defence?

Question 17

Should biological determinism be used in legal situations?

Answer 17

Inherited traits should not be enough to deter blame for one’s actions.

In order for someone to be unconscious during a crime, there should be sufficient evidence that the criminal was not in control of their actions.

Undermines the legal system.

Could encourage individuals, people may be more inclined to commit crimes if there is an element of pre-determined behaviour.

Question 18

To examine psychological phenomenon a psychologist must do what?

(Deterministic causation: Scientific emphasis on causal explanations)

Answer 18

Develop a theory followed by a prediction of what might happen (hypothesis).

Use empirical methods to test the hypothesis.

If there is shown to be a significance, this is considered to be an indication that there is a causal explanation.

Question 19

Hard determinism is all about what?

(Deterministic causation: Scientific emphasis on causal explanations)

Answer 19

Hard determinism is all about causation.

Question 20

A determinist argument must be able to show what?

(Deterministic causation: Scientific emphasis on causal explanations)

Answer 20

That the behaviour has been caused (determined by something that was not within the individual’s or group’s control).​

Question 21

Outline 2 strengths of free-will.

Answer 21

Emphasis on individual differences. Everyone has difference thoughts and experiences that shape our outcome.(Humanism).

Suggests behaviour is free.

Twin studies demonstrate biological determinism is not 100% concordant, thus indicating free-will.

Question 22

Outline 2 weaknesses of free-will.

Answer 22

Does free-will even exist? Can it be fully measured? Is it behaviour that you wanted to do or are you being influenced by other factors?

Skinner claimed that our decisions only ‘appear’ to be ‘ours’, when in fact they are made within a narrow set of parameters.

Modern neuroscience has offered evidence to suggest that our brains are in control of us, rathe than the other way around.

Question 23

Outline 2 strengths of determinism.

Answer 23

Scientific and objective, encourages cause and
effect relationships.

Encourages the use of therapy.

Question 24

Outline 2 weaknesses of determinism.

Answer 24

Doesn’t hold people accountable for their behaviour.

Reductionist, doesn’t account for ways of humans - ignoring other factors.

Discoveries of quantum physics have shown that there is no such thing as total determinism.

Determinism in the treatment of mental illness targets deterministic factors e.g. drugs that alter NT levels - these seem like the cause. There is a singular focus on this deterministic factor, so other factors are ignored.