Free Will & Determinism

• Free Will is the idea that humans are self-determining so are free to choose their own behaviour
• Free Will relates to the humanistic approach and cognitive approach although the cognitive approach is constrained by circumstances & schema
• Free Will acknowledges biological influences but can be overcome
• Free Will emphasizes individual differences and fits society's rule of personal responsibility
• Free Will is useful as the concept of self-efficacy can be used in therapies
• Free Will is subjective so impossible to test the concept scientifically
• Free Will is limited as few people agree that all behaviour is under the control of the individual
• Determinism is the idea that behaviour is controlled by external or internal factors acting upon the individual
• Biological determinism is the belief that behaviour is caused by internal factors e.g. genes, neurochemistry, brain function, therefore behaviours occur without conscious input
• The MAOA 'warrior' gene is a cause for aggression
• Environmental determinism is the belief that behaviour is determined by previous experience e.g environmental events, socialisation
• Environmental determinism involves the two process model of classical & operant conditioning and the learning theory of attachment
• Psychic determinism is the belief that behaviours are determined by unconscious processes influenced by innate drives and childhood experiences
• Psychic determinism involves Freud's theory of psychosexual development
• Scientific determinism is the belief that events have a cause (IV affects DV directly) which infers cause and effect
• Hard determinism is the idea that free will is an illusion and every event and action has a cause
• Soft determinism is a middle ground where people have a choice but it is constrained by external factors
• Determinism is useful in the development of treatments e.g. drugs for OCD
• Determinism overlooks successful therapy approaches e.g. CBT
• Determinism contradicts the legal system which relies on the concept of moral responsibility