Volition Flashcards
What are the two broad positions on free will in relation to determinism?
Metaphysical libertarianism: Determinism is false, so free will exists.
Hard determinism: Determinism is true, so free will does not exist.
What is the key belief of incompatibilists regarding free will?
They believe that causal determinism is the crucial factor in free will; if conscious choice is determined by something other than itself, then free will does not exist.
How do compatibilists view the relationship between determinism and free will?
Compatibilists deny that determinism is relevant and argue that constraints like freedom from coercion or the contribution of the conscious self to decisions are key to free will.
What was the main finding of Libet et al. (1983) regarding voluntary acts?
The readiness potential (RP) in the brain begins about 350 ms before the reported conscious will to act, suggesting unconscious processes precede conscious decisions.
What are some criticisms of the Libet study?
- The actions studied were trivial.
- Subjective timing of ‘will’ could be inaccurate.
- RP might not reflect preconscious decision-making (Schurger et al., 2012).
- It examined the timing of action, not the choice of action.
- EEG has limited spatial resolution.
What alternative explanation for the readiness potential was proposed by Schurger et al. (2012)?
The RP may result from a threshold placed on the accumulation of random neural activity, not preconscious decision-making.
What did Soon et al. (2008) discover about free decisions?
Using fMRI, they found brain activity in the prefrontal cortex predicted decisions 7 seconds before participants were consciously aware of them.
Why is fMRI limited in studying free will?
It has good spatial resolution but very poor temporal resolution.
What insight did Fried et al. (2011) provide with single-neuron recordings?
- Found ramp-like increases in neuron activity before movement.
- Suggested the feeling of intention may correspond to when an unconscious plan is enacted.
- Showed that SMA neurons were active closer to the feeling of intention.
What is anarchic hand syndrome?
A condition where one hand seems to act with a will of its own, often due to damage in the supplementary motor area (SMA).
What causes utilisation behavior, and how does it differ from anarchic hand?
Cause: Damage to SMA bilaterally, often seen in dementia.
Difference: Patients with utilisation behavior compulsively use objects but are unaware their actions are inappropriate, unlike those with anarchic hand.
How do voluntary actions differ from stimulus-driven actions?
Voluntary actions: Guided by cortical signals integrated in the basal ganglia, influenced by context and reward.
Stimulus-driven actions: Triggered by sensory input and guided by the parietal cortex.
What are the moral implications of findings on free will?
If decisions occur before conscious awareness, it challenges the idea of conscious responsibility. Some argue for evidence-based laws, while others see societal norms as justifiable regardless of free will’s existence.
What is the somatic marker hypothesis?
It suggests the ventromedial prefrontal cortex links factual knowledge with emotional states, helping guide decision-making by associating situations with emotional “gut reactions.”
What does the Iowa Gambling Task demonstrate about decision-making?
Controls develop anticipatory skin conductance responses (SCRs) to bad decks.
Individuals with prefrontal damage fail to activate these somatic markers, leading to poor decision-making.
