Freewill & Determinism AO1 & AO3 Flashcards
Define Freewill
the notion that humans can make choices that are not determined by biological or external factors
What does the belief in Freewill NOT deny?
Doesn’t deny that there are biological/environmental forces that exert some influence on our behaviour
What does Freewill suggest?
that we are able to reject the biological and environmental forces
Name the 5 types of determinism
1) Hard
2) Soft
3) Biological
4) Environmental
5) Psychic
Define Determinism
the belief that a persons behaviour is controlled by internal and external factors
Define Hard Determinism
Freewill is not possible, out behaviour is always caused by internal/external events beyond our control
What is Hard Determinism compatible with?
the aims of science - to establish casual explanations for thoughts and behaviour
Define Soft Determinism
All events have causes but behaviour can also be determined by out conscious choices in the absence of pressure
Who first suggested the idea of Soft Determinism? What is it important in?
James (1890)
Imp feature of cognitive approach
Although scientists investigate the forces acting upon us….
(soft determinism)
it doesn’t detract from the freedom we have to make rational and conscious choices
Define Biological Determinism
Behaviour is caused by biological influences that we cant control
What processes aren’t under our conscious control according to Biological Determinism?
physiological and neurological processes
What has been thought to have a genetic basis?
Mental Disorders
What do Modern Bio-psychologists recognise?
the mediating influence of the environment on our biological structures
Define Environmental Determinism
Behaviour is cause by features of the environment that we cannot control
What did Skinner say about freewill?
said it was and illusion and that behaviour is caused because of conditioning
What has our behaviour been shaped by according to Environmental Determinism?
Environmental events and agents of socialisation
Define Psychic Determinism
Behaviour is caused by unconscious conflicts that we cannot control
What did Freud place emphasis on?
the influence of biological drives and instincts
Why is there ‘no such thing as an accident’ according to Psychic Determinism?
It can all be explained by the underlying authority of our conscious
What is the basic principle of science?
Every event has a cause and that cause can be explained using general laws
Why is knowledge of the causes and formulation of laws important?
they allow scientists to predict and control events in the future
Why are Lab Experiments important?
let researchers remove other extraneous variables in an attempt to precisely control and predict human behaviour
Why is it a strength that Determinism is consistent with the aims of science?
AO3
Experiences from mental disorders where the sufferer experiences a complete loss of control over their thoughts and behaviour cast a doubt on the concept of freewill.
So in terms of mental disorders behaviour is determined, thus increasing credibility due to practical application
What is a limitation of Hard Determinism?
AO3
Not consistent w/ how our legal system operates.
It’s unfalsifiable b/c its based on the idea that there is always a cause for behaviour - suggesting the approach is not as scientific as first assumes so decreases credibility
What did Roberts et al show?
AO3
that children with a strong belief in fatalism had a significantly greater risk of developing depression so people with an internal LoC are more mentally health.
Suggests we don’t have freewill but the fact that we believe in it may have a good impact on our mind and behaviour. Thus increasing external validity
Who showed that Neurological studies show evidence against freewill?
AO3
Libet & Soon - brain activity that determines outcome of simple choices comes before our awareness of that choice; decision to press a button with their right or left hand occurred 10 seconds before ppts said they were aware of their decision.
Decreases internal validity of freewill
