Free will and Determinism

• Define free will vs determinism.

  The free will vs determinism debates argues whether humans have choice in how they behave (free will) or whether their behaviour is dictated by factors outside of their control (hard determinism).
• Define free will and give an example in Psychology.


  The free will perspective proposes that humans have full control over how they behave. This means that their behaviour is not dictated by any factors outside of the individual’s control.

  E.g. A basic assumption of humanistic psychology is that everybody has free will. As a result, they can make the necessary choices in order to progress through Maslow’s hierarchy and reach self-actualisation.
• Define hard determinism. Identify and define the types of hard determinism.

  The hard determinism perspective proposes that human behaviour is dictated by factors outside of our control. This means that we do not have free will i.e. we do not have choice in how we behave.

  Types of hard determinism include: biological determinism (biological factors such as genes dictate our behaviour), environmental determinism (environmental factors such as conditioning processes dictate our behaviour) and psychic determinism (unconscious factors such as the unconscious dictates our behaviour).
• Explain a strength of free will over hard determinism - positive implications on the criminal justice system. 


  Proposes that individuals made the choice to commit a crime. Means offenders have to take responsibility for their behaviour and can be appropriately punished.

  Hard determinism has negative implications on the criminal justice system. This is because it proposes that behaviour is dictated by factors outside of their control. Suggests that criminals had no choice in their offending behaviour and raises the ethical question as to whether they should be punished.
• Explain a strength of free will over hard determinism - psychologically healthy. 


  Gives people the power to make changes in order to overcome problems e.g. an individual can change their irrational thinking into rational ways of thinking. This is a strength because this has reduced feelings of hopelessness.

  Hard determinism is not psychologically healthy. It results in people feeling like they have no power and so cannot make changes to overcome problems. It increases feelings of hopelessness which can make psychological disorders such

  as depression worse.
• Explain a strength of determinism over free will - scientific. 


  Science relies on determinism in order to establish cause and effect. It has enabled researchers to more clearly understand how certain factors such as genes or neurochemistry levels can affect behaviour, thus leading to the development of theories. Free will is not considered scientific. This is because science relies on determinism in order to establish cause and effect and, if there is free will, there is no determining cause. This is a limitation because it means that it is difficult to establish causes for human behaviour.
• Explain two strengths of determinism over free will - better able to develop treatments. 


  In order to develop a treatment, a cause for the disorder must be identified. This is a strength because hard determinism identifies a specific cause that can then be addressed in the treatment. Free will results in difficulty developing treatments. This is because it does not identify a cause for people as everybody has their own individual choices. This is a limitation because it means that treatments would have to be tailored to each unique individual, which is more difficult to do.
• Outline biological determinism and give an example in Psychology.


  Biological determinism is a type of hard determinism which proposes that behaviour is dictated by biological factors outside of an individual’s control.

  The genetic explanation for OCD proposes that an underactive COMT gene and an overactive SERT gene can lead to obsessions and compulsions.
• Evaluate biological determinism - supporting evidence. 


  Twin studies have found that MZ twins (who share 100% of their genes) have higher concordance rates for OCD than DZ twins (who share 50% of their genes). This is a strength as the higher concordance rates in MZ twins can be explained by their more similar genetics, thus showing how biological factors such as genes can determine whether an individual develops a disorder.
• Evaluate biological determinism - practical applications. 


  The proposal that neurotransmitter imbalances can cause psychological disorders has led to drug therapies e.g. the use of antipsychotics to reduce dopamine activity in people with schizophrenia. This is a strength because such treatments have found to be effective in many people, thus further supporting the proposal that biological factors must play a role.
• Outline environmental determinism and give an example in Psychology. 


  Environmental determinism is a type of hard determinism which proposes that behaviour is dictated by environmental factors outside of an individual’s control.The two-process model proposes that phobias develop through classical conditioning (whereby the individual will associate a neutral stimulus such as a dog with an unconditioned stimulus such as being bitten).
• Evaluate environmental determinism - supporting evidence.


  The Little Albert study found that an infant could be classically conditioned into fearing a white rat (by pairing it with a loud, unpleasant noise). This is a strength as it shows how environmental experiences can determine behaviour, in this case phobias.
• Evaluate environmental determinism - practical applications. 


  Proposal that phobias can be conditioned has led to exposure therapies that aim to counter-condition phobias (e.g. systematic desensitisation and flooding). These work by getting the patient to associate their phobic stimulus with relaxation rather than fear. This is a strength because such treatments have

  found to be effective in many people, thus further supporting the proposal that environmental factors must play a role.
• Define psychic determinism and give an example in Psychology.


  Psychic determinism is a type of hard determinism which proposes that behaviour is dictated by the unconscious mind. Repressed memories of traumatic events can affect behaviour (e.g. repressed memories of abuse can make it difficult to form relationships). Finally, defence mechanisms are employed by the unconscious which can lead individuals into engaging in denial, displacement or repression.
• Give an example of psychic determinism. 


  The psychodynamic explanation for gender development proposes it is an unconscious process that occurs through the Oedipus/Electra complex. This refers to how a child will be unconsciously driven into identifying with their same-sex parent and internalising their gender behaviours. Meanwhile, the psychodynamic explanation for offending behaviour proposes it is caused by internalising an inadequate superego. This means the person may have a weak, deviant or over-harsh superego that unconsciously drives them into offending.
• Evaluate psychic determinism - unscientific. 


  This is because it proposes that the unconscious mind drives behaviour. This is a limitation because the unconscious mind cannot be accessed and so it is unfalsifiable.
• Evaluate psychic determinism - practical applications.


  The proposal that the unconscious drives psychological disorders has led to the development of psychoanalysis - a talking therapy that uncovers what is in the unconscious in order to treat psychological disorders. This is a strength because psychoanalysis has been found to be effective in many people, thus further

  supporting the proposal that the unconscious plays a role.
• Outline soft determinism. 


  Soft determinism is a ‘middle ground’ of the free will and determinism debate. This is because it considers an element of both free will and determinism. In other words, it stays that while behaviours can be influenced by internal/external factors (i.e. element of determinism), individuals can exercise control over these e.g. through the decisions they make (i.e. element of free will).
• Give and example of soft determinism. 


  Ellis’ ABC model suggests that depression could be triggered by a negative activating event (the deterministic element). However, it is how the individual chooses to think about that event (the free will element) that will effect whether they will develop depression. I.e. choosing to think rationally about the event will not lead to depression however choosing to think irrationally about the event could lead to depression.
• Evaluate soft determinism - positive implications on the criminal justice system. 


  This is because it considers an element of free will and so proposes that there was an element of choice when it came to committing the crime. This is a strength because it means offenders have to take responsibility for their behaviour and can be appropriately punished.
• Evaluate soft determinism - unscientific.


  This is because it considers an element of free will whereas science relies on hard determinism in order to establish cause and effect. This is a limitation because it means that it is difficult to establish causes/theories for human behaviour.