LS4 - Free Will Vs Determinism Flashcards
Biological Determinism
All behaviour is innate and determine by genes e.g. autonomic nervous system
Environmental Determinism
Behaviour is determined by external forces and previous experience learned through classical/operant conditioning
Soft Determinism
Behaviour is only determined by external forces to a certain extent - people still have conscious control.
Hard Determinism
Forces outside of our control completely shape our behaviour, free will has no influence, everything has a cause, which should be able to be identified.
Psychic Determinism
Human behaviour results from childhood experience and innate experience i.e. underlying authority of conscious
Free Will
All thought and actions are completely self-determining, although there might be some influence we choose what we do.
Casual Explanations
Causes allow scientists to predict events in the future. Lab experiments allows psychologists to control/predict behaviour and hence create casual explanations.
Free Will (+)
Everyday Life
Internal Locus Of Control
Legal System
Free Will (-)
Siong Soon Et Al
Everyday Life (+)
Everyday experiences imply we exercise free will, providing face validity.
Internal Locus Of Control (+)
People believe they have a high level of control over their behaviour, meaning they exercise free will.
Legal System (+)
People are held accountable or their actions after 10, meaning the legal system coincides with free will.
Siong Soon Et Al (-)
Demonstrated that brain activity that leads to a choice, starts earlier than our knowledge of creating the choice.
Determinism (+)
Consistent With Science
Schizophrenic Research
Determinism (-)
Doesn’t Coincide With Legal System
Not Always Falsifiable
Consistent With Science (+)
Determinism suggests behaviour is orderly and follows laws e.g. environmental determinism can be proved through behavioural approach and Pavlov’s research.
Schizophrenic Research (+)
Schizophrenic patients demonstrate loss of control meaning that we don’t have free will, anti-psychotic drugs treat schizophrenia meaning there must be biological influence.
Doesn’t Coincide With Legal System (-)
The legal system holds offenders morally responsible but hard determinism says we have no control.
Falsifiability (-)
Causes of behaviour haven’t even been found yet meaning it’s not scientific and you can’t prove it wrong.
Innate
Natural
