Free Will Vs Determinism

Question 1

What is this debate

Answer 1

Stems the question of how much we are actually in control of our actions
- theories in psychology often ignore the possibility of a free will

Question 2

What is determinism

Answer 2

Assumes that behaviour is theoretically predictable because it is affected by s finite number of internal and external forces

Question 3

What is free will

Answer 3

Believes, that despite the forces working on us, we are able to make our own decisions

Question 4

What are the different types of determinism

Answer 4

• biological
• environmental
• psychic
• scientific

Question 5

What is biological determinism

Answer 5

The idea that your behaviour is affected solely by your biology. For example through your genes or neurotransmitters

Question 6

What is environmental determinism

Answer 6

The idea that your behaviour is determined by learning and what has happened to up you
- for example through exposure to violent role models

Question 7

What is psychic determinism

Answer 7

• the idea that your behaviour is caused by a mixture of your innate drives (I’d) and the effects of your early experiences (superego and ego development).
• for example developing a oral fixation due to issues during the oral psychosexual stages

Question 8

What is scientific determinism

Answer 8

• the idea that each behaviour and thought has a direct cause. Focus here on cause explanations between a stimulus and a response

Question 9

What is the humanistic approach

Free will

Answer 9

• believes in the idea of ‘self determination’ where you are in charge of your actions and behaviour. Furthermore it is possible for somebody not to have self-determinism, if they are allowing themselves to be controlled by other people or things. People need to take control in order to gain self-determinism

Question 10

What is moral responsibility

Free will

Answer 10

In society it assumes that we are in control of our actions. In law, if you commit a crime, you are held responsible for it.

Question 11

Example for if we do have free will

Answer 11

Trevena and Miller

Showed the brain activity was simply a ‘readiness to act’ rather than an intention to move. For the movement it seems that neuro science still supports free will

Question 12

Example for if we don’t have free will

Answer 12

• libet
• recorded activity in motor areas of the brain before the person had a conscious awareness of the decision to move their finger
  Was simply a read out of a pre-determined action