A03 Free Will And Determinism

• Strengths for determinism


  Determinism is consistent with the aims of science. The notion that human behaviour is orderly and obeys laws places psychology on equal footing with other established sciences. Value of such research is that the prediction and control of human behaviour has led to the development of treatments, therapies and behaviour interventions that have benefitted many. (E.g Psychotherapeutic drugs for Schizophrenia)
• Weakness of determinism


  The stance regarding individual choice is no the cause of behaviour -it is not consistent with the way the legal system operates. In the court of law, offenders are held morally accountable for their actions.
• Falsifiability (Weakness of determinism)

  Despite its scientific credentials, determinism is unfalsiable. It is based on the idea that causes of behaviour will always exist, even though they man not yet have been found. Suggests determinism application to human behaviour may not be as scientific as it appears.
• Strengths for free will


  Daily experiences suggest we constantly exercise free will through the choices we make every given day. Gives face validity to free will -it makes logical sense. E.g: Internal LOC, people with high internal LOC, tend to be more healthy.
• Roberts et al (Strengths for free will)


  Demonstrated that adolescents with a strong belief in fatalism were at significantly greater risk of developing depression. Suggests that even if we do not have free will, the belief that we do, has a possible impact on the mind and behaviour.
• Weakness of free will

  Neurological studies revealed evidence against free will. Libet and soon et al demonstrated that brain activity that determines the outcome of simple choices may predate our knowledge of having made such a choice.
• Example of free will flaws (Weakness of free will)

  Researchers found that the activity related to whether press a button with the left and for right hand occurs in the brain up to 10 seconds before ppts report being concsiouly aware of making such a delusion. Shows even the most basic experiences of free will are determines by the brain.
• A compromise

  An interactionaist position may provide best explanation. Those approaches that have a cognitive element, such as SLT, are those which tend to adopt a soft determinist approach. E.g: according to reciprocal determinism, you are influenced by your environment and you also influence the environment around you, each impacts on the other.