free will vs determinism

Question 1

what is determinism

Answer 1

the view that our behaviour is caused by internal or external forces outside of or control

Question 2

what is free will

Answer 2

the view that our behaviour is due to our own choices

Question 3

how does free will describe us as being

Answer 3

active agents, not passive as we can act and make a choice

acting of our own volition (voluntarily)

Question 4

which approach promotes the role of free will

Answer 4

humanistic

Question 5

what did the humanistic approach believe in

Answer 5

personal growth, with free will being necessary if we are to become fully functioning human beings

Question 6

how is free will seen in client centred therapy

Answer 6

emphasises the freedom of the individual to solve their own problems

the power of the individual to direct their lives according to their self chosen goals

Question 7

for both maslow and rogers, why is free will necessary

Answer 7

to self actualise

Question 8

what is hard determinism

Answer 8

the view that all behaviour is caused by internal / external forces outside of our control

Question 8

what is soft determinism

Answer 8

the view that behaviours are to some extent caused by internal/external factors but not by coercion but our own conscious choices

Question 9

which approaches are hard determinism

Answer 9

biological, behaviourist and psychodynamic

Question 10

which approaches are soft determinism

Answer 10

social learning theory, cognitive

Question 11

how is social learning theory soft determinism

Answer 11

behaviour caused by environmental factors (observation), but mediational processes allow for free choice

Question 12

how is the cognitive approach soft determinism

Answer 12

behaviour caused by internal mental processes, but we have choice over what we pay attention to

Question 13

what is biological determinism

Answer 13

caused by internal biological factors such as genes, neurotransmitters and brain structures

Question 14

what is an example of biological determinism using OCD explanations

Answer 14

OCD is broken down to genetic variations such as with the COMT and SERT gene, or in an imbalance of certain neurotransmitter levels, like serotonin, or an abnormal brain circuit involving the orbitofrontal cortex

Question 15

what was the concordance rates for OCD in monozygotic twins

Answer 15

68%

Question 16

what was the concordance rates for OCD in dizygotic twins

Answer 16

31%

Question 17

how does concordance rates for OCD show support for biological determinism

Answer 17

higher in monozygotic twins which share 100% DNA

Question 18

what is environmental determinism

Answer 18

the idea that behaviours are caused by external factors which could include; experiences, upbringing, learning , school and peers

Question 19

what is an example of environmental determinism using phobias

Answer 19

phobias are acquired and maintained via the two process model, phobias are caused by: classical conditioning: learned through the association of stimulus and response and also operant conditioning: a fear is maintained through negative reinforcement; the avoidance of the feared stimulus. this reinforces the fear

Question 20

which case study demonstrates environmental determinism? (describe little albert)

Answer 20

little albert first presented with a white rat, in which he had normal curious response to - NS, each time little albert reached for the white rat, a loud noise was presented behind his head UCS producing distress and fear UCR, this pairing was repeated over and over, each time albert reached towards the rat, eventually, albert associated the white rat CS with the unpleasant noise, and would show fear CR

Question 21

what is psychic determinism

Answer 21

the idea that behaviour is caused by internal forces that control our unconscious instincts and drives, including childhood experiences

Question 22

what is an example of psychic determinism

Answer 22

fixation during the anal stage of the psychosexual stage of development causes someone to be excessively organised, obsessive and concerned with bodily cleanliness as an adult

Question 23

describe the little hans case study

Answer 23

developed a fear of horses after witnessing one fall. Freud suggested the fear stemmed from the boy’s conflict with his father at the time. The boy’s specific fear of white horses with blinkers and a noseband symbolised his father’s appearance. He concluded that the boy resolved the conflict by identifying with his father and replacing his role through his dreams

Question 24

what does skinner argue about free will

Answer 24

we think we are making choices but we are unaware of our reinforcement histories (all the ways our behaviours have been conditioned)

Question 25

what does freud argue about free will

Answer 25

we think we are making choices but we are unaware of how our unconscious drives and instincts are influencing our behaviour

Question 26

what is an issue with adopting a determinist approach

Answer 26

moral responsibility