Determinism

• what is free will?

  we all have choice and can control and choose our own behaviour.

  personal responsibility
• what is determinism?

  all behaviour is determined (pre-destined) and predictable
• what are the four types of determinism?

  biological, environmental, psychic, and scientific
• what is biological determinism?

  how specific genes affect behaviour
• what is an example of a gene that can effect behaviour?

  IGF2R - the intelligence gene
• what kind of determinism is biological determinism?

  internal
• what is environmental determinism?

  the idea that previous experiences influence behaviour

  learning behaviours from their environment
• what kind of determinism is environmental determinism?

  external
• what is psychic determinism?

  behaviours that are caused by early experiences, and become innate actions
• what kind of determinism is psychic determinism?

  internal
• what is scientific determinism?

  when an IV is manipulated to observe the causal effect on the DV
• what kind of determinism is scientific determinism?

  external
• what is hard determinism?

  sees free will as an illusion and believes that every event and action has a cause
• what is soft determinism?

  humans have some conscious mental control over the way they behave

  the choice is constrained by internal and external factors
• AO3: genetic vs environment

  studies comparing identical twins show 80% similarity with intelligence and with depression a similarity of 40%

  the percentages are not 100%, although they share 100% of their genes.

  suggests that biological and environmental determinism cant fully explain every behaviour
• AO3: The implication for the criminal justice system/determinism can provide an excuse for immoral behaviour

  the case of Stephan Mobley (killed a manager, was given death row) claimed he was 'born to kill' due to past experiences with violence and having the MOMA gene (criminal gene)
• AO3: free will is an illusion

  • Skinner - free will is an illusion, as our choices are actually determined by our previous reinforcement experiences
  • the idea of self-determination may only be relevant in individualistic societies, as collectivist cultures emphasise group needs

  suggests our experience of free will is a product of socialisation and is not universal
• AO3: research to challenge free-will

  • Libet et al. - recorded activity in motor regions of the brain , before person have conscious awareness of the decision to move their finger
  • the decision to move the finger was a predetermined action of the brain
  • however, Trevena & Miller showed that the barin activity may simply represent a 'readiness to act'