ISSUES AND DEBATES: free will and determinism

Question 1

what is the free will-determinism debate?

Answer 1

Is our behaviour a matter of free will or internal/external influences?

Most psychological approaches are determinist to some extent. eg biological approach, behaviourist.

humanistic approach embraces concept of free will

Question 2

what is free will?

Answer 2

the notion that humans can make their own choices and their behaviour is not determined by biological or external forces.

Question 3

what is determinism?

Answer 3

individuals’ behaviour is controlled by external or internal forces

Question 4

what is soft determinism?

Answer 4

we have the freedom to make rational and conscious choices in everyday situations.

Question 5

what is hard determinism ( fatalism) ?

Answer 5

rejects free will, all human behaviour has a cause, such as internal or external forces that we cannot control.

Question 6

what are the 3 types of determinism?

Answer 6

Psychic determinism
Environmental determinism
Biological determinism

Question 7

define psychic determinism.

Answer 7

Unconscious childhood conflicts shape behaviour (Freud’s psychodynamic theory)

Question 8

Define environmental determinism.

Answer 8

Behaviour is shaped by external forces like reinforcement, conditioning and observation.

Question 9

Define biological determinism

Answer 9

Behaviour is controlled by genetics, brain structure and hormones ( eg schizophrenia)

Question 10

Why do those taking a scientific approach prefer determinism?

Answer 10

Science believes that every event in the universe has a cause and effect (hard determinism). Lab experiments help identify cause-and-effect relationships by controlling all variables.

Question 11

Give strengths on research into free and determinism.

Answer 11

+ free will has practical value = eg thinking we do exercise free choice can improve our mental health. Roberts et al (2000) = found adolescents who believed in determinism had a higher risk of depression. People who exhibit an internal LOC are optimistic. The fact that we have free has a positive impact on our mind and behaviour.

+ deterministic approaches helped establish psychology as a science = hard determinism in biological + behavioural approaches has produced real world application.

Question 12

Give limitations on research into Free will and determinism

Answer 12

• Brain scanning evidence doesn’t support free will but supports determinism = Libel et al (1983) = found that brain activity occurs before ps felt a conscious decision to move = we are determined by our brain
• deterministic arguments do not work because the legal system seems offenders have free will and are responsible for their actions