free will and determinism

• free will: perception that humans can make choices, not being determined by biological or external factors - link to humanistic approach
• determinism: an individuals behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces
• soft determinism: behaviour may be predictable, but there is a possibility for personal choices - you have the choice on whether to act on this or not
• hard determinism (fatalism): human behaviour is caused by something internal or external, free will is conducted as an illusion
• biological determinism: our behaviour is caused by internal and biological influences - hormones, genetics and evolutionary
• environmental determinism: behaviour is caused by features of the environment that are beyond our control - classical and operant conditioning
• psychic determinism: behaviour caused by unconscious psychodynamic conflicts that we cannot control - maternal deprivation
• internal locus of control: we have the responsibility to decide - free will
• external locus of control: external factors shape your decisions - determinism
• Rebecca Robert's (2000): looked at adolescents who had strong beliefs in fatalism, found that they were at a greater risk of developing depression - if we dont have free will then we may develop a negative mindset
• free will evaluation:

  strength:

  • practical value, exercise our free will everyday
  • robert's (2000), looked at adolescents who had a strong belief in fatalism

  weakness:

  • brain scan evidence does not support the idea of free will
• determinism evaluation:

  strength:

  • Libet (1983) the brain is involved in decision-making

  weakness:

  • position of legal system on responsibility, hard determinist stance rejects the court of law by implying that offenders are help responsible for their actions