I&D- Free will and determinism

Question 1

define free will

Answer 1

free will is believing that humans control their own environment and are capable of change

Question 2

define hard determinism

Answer 2

Hard determinism is believing that all behaviour can be PREDICTED and there is no free will

Question 3

define soft determinism

Answer 3

Soft determinism is believing that behaviour is sometimes controlled by external factors but people do have elements of choice of how to behave (which is free will)

Question 4

which approach links to Biological Determinism an define it

Answer 4

Biological approach
biological determinism means behaviour is controlled by internal biological factors
- for example- genes, hormones, neurotransmitters

Question 5

which approach links to Environmental Determinism and define it

Answer 5

Behaviourist approach
Environmental Determinism means that behaviour is controlled by STIMULUS-RESPONSE Conditioning
for example- learned behaviour’s which links to soft determinism

Question 6

which approach links to soft determinism and define it

Answer 6

Social Learning Theory approach
due to Soft Determinism meaning that behaviour is controlled by environmental forces but humans have personal responsibilities and free choices in how they act

Question 7

which other approach links to Soft Determinism and how

Answer 7

Cognitive approach due to behaviour being controlled through Mediational Processes but can still choose what information they choose

Question 8

which approach links to Psychic Determinism and what does it mean

Answer 8

The Psychodynamic approach
Psychic Determinism means behaviour is determined by unconscious drives and early childhood experiences

Question 9

which approach links to free will and what does it mean

Answer 9

The Humanistic approach
Free will is that all humans control their own environment and are capable of changing their behaviour

Question 10

What does the scientific approach emphasis
what research is an example of this

Answer 10

Scientific determinism emphasises CAUSAL explanations
which means that every event will have a cause, therefore the Independent variable is manipulated to observe the causal effect on the Dependent variable
The research was Harlow’s 1959

Question 11

name the two main things in free will

Answer 11

1- the humanistic approach
2- having Moral Responsibility

Question 12

define moral responsibility

Answer 12

Everyone is responsible for their own actions no matter what, even if they are innate factors or from early childhood experiences

Question 13

Para 1:
first evaluation
neither b_______ or e_________ d___________ can be the s____ reason for b________
Research of i______ t____ and about their __/ i________ s____

Answer 13

P- A problem with biological and environmental determinism is that neither can be the sole determining factor in behaviour.
E- For example, in a study that compares Identical Twins, who have the same genetic makeup, have found that 80% of twins have similar intelligence scores. This means that if one twin has a high IQ there is an 80% chance that the other twin will have similar scores.
E- But twins share 100% of their genes, which means that the left over 20% is caused by other (environmental) factors. This demonstrates that biological determinism is unable to explain how it is 80% have same scores and not 100%.
L- Therefore suggesting that the 20% is caused from the environment.

Question 14

Para 2:
2nd evaluation
f____ w___ is an i______
research by B_ S______
and L_____ et al 198_

Answer 14

P- In addition, some psychologists argue that free will is an illusion and it actually is a culturally relative concept.
E- BF Skinner believes that our behaviour is in fact environmentally determined, even if we are unwilling to admit it. An example of research from Libet et al 1983 which supports skinner’s claims, found that the motor regions of the brain do active before a person register’s and has conscious awareness of a decision, i.e. deciding to move a finger was actually a pre-determined action of the brain.
L- This means that they believe free will is an illusion because we think we choose to ‘move a finger’ but it’s already predetermined. This has an impact on the people’s point of views due to humans not knowing what is in their unconscious mind. However, this is not falsifiable so some people perhaps won’t believe it.

Question 15

Para 3
3rd evaluation
F____ s_____ s d________ point of view, where he argued that the u_______, controls our a____ and th______
research by Er___ Fr____m

Answer 15

P- Furthermore, Freud supports a deterministic point of view, where he argued that the unconscious, controls our actions and thoughts. So, his goal for psychoanalysis was to help patients overcome that force of the unconscious, which has been taken up by several neo-Freudians.
E- For example, the most influential has been Erich Fromm (1941), who argued that all of us have the potential to control our lives but people are too afraid to.
E- The impact of this, is that people give up freedom and allow our lives to be governed by external factors.
L- However, determinism is not inevitable, and Fromm sees the essence of human freedom in being the choice between good and evil.

Question 16

Para 4:
4th evaluation
Due to s______ d________ the ‘c____ t_____’ suggests that small c_____ can cause m______ changes. A conclusion is that c_____ r__________ are pr______ rather than d________
researcher- Den______ 200_

Answer 16

P- Due to scientific determinism the ‘chaos theory’ proposes that small changes in initial conditions can further on result in major changes. A conclusion is that causal relationships are probabilistic rather than determinist.
E- For example Dennett 2003 argued that it’s now accepted that there isn’t total determinism.
E- This is due to increasing probability of something occurring rather than being the sole determinant. Humans are also different to animals and have many factors such as cognitive and biological impulses, which may affect behaviour.
L- This demonstrates the idea that it is unrealistic to think that something is only deterministic.