Issues And Debates: Free Will And Determinism Flashcards
How many types of Determinism is there?
3 types
What is Determinism?
the belief that behaviour is controlled by external and internal factors acting upon the individual and beyond their control
What’s biological Determinism?
view that behaviour is caused by internal biological forces beyond our control, such as inherited through genes. For example, genes that may affect brain structure and neurotransmitter production (i.e dopamine and serotonin) may determine our behaviour. Another example is the MAOA and CDH13 gene being candidate genes for criminality. (Brunner)
What is Environmental determinism?
The belief that behaviour is caused by previous experience and external environment. Classical and operant conditioning are good examples (e.g. phobias are a result of conditioning, as demonstrated by watsons study on Little Albert and Skinners box (operant conditioning determining the behaviour of lab rats) we have no control over these external forces
What is psychic determinism?
Internal unconscious processes repressed from childhood. Freud’s theory of personality suggests that adult behaviour is determined by a mix of innate drives and early experiences. These result in unconscious conflicts over which we have no control over. (e.g. Freuds psychosexual stages of development suggests each stage is characterised by a conflict which, unresolved, leads to fixation in adulthood. A random slip of the tongue can be explained by the underlying authority of the unconscious.
What is hard determinism?
All behaviour can be predicted due to internal and external forces beyond our control, so there’s no free will. (E.g behaviourism suggests all behaviour is the product of classical and operant conditioning)
What is soft determinism?
allows for some elements of free will and suggests that all events, including human behaviour, has a cause. (e.g. the cognitive approach suggests that individuals can reason and make decisions within the limits of their cognitive function.)
Name 3 strengths to determinism
1) scientific
2) isolates variables to make them easier to examine
3) society is more willing to accept its findings.
How is being reductionist a problem?
simplifies human behaviour, e.g. aggression can’t be simplified to the actions of the endocrine system, there are cognitive factors and emotions accompanying it.
What are other weaknesses for determinism?
1) doesn’t account for individual differences
2) Takes away individual responsibility (people may try to justify behaviours if committed a crime)
3) 100% genetic determinism is unlikely to be found for any behaviour.
What is Free Will?
Free will suggests that we all have a choice and can control and choose our own behaviour, without being determined by internal or external forces beyond our control. All about personal responsibility and plays a central role in Humanistic Psychology. Cognitive psych also supports the idea of free will and choice.
In reality, although we do have free will, it is constrained by our circumstances and other people. E.g. when you go shopping, your choices are constrained by how much money you have.
What are some of the strengths of free will?
- emphasises the importance of the individual and studying individual differences
- fits society’s view of personal responsibility, e.g. if you break the law you should be punished.
- the idea of self-efficacy is useful in therapies as it makes them more effective.
What are some of the weaknesses of free will?
- subjective and some argue it doesn’t exist
- impossible to scientifically test the concept
- few people would agree that behaviour is always completely under the control of the individual
