Free will and determinism

• What is free will?

  Individuals are seen as being capable of self-determination. Individuals play an active role in controlling their behaviour.
• What is determinism?


  The view that an individuals behaviour is controlled/determined by either internal or external forces. Means behaviour should be predictable.
• What is soft determinism?

  The view that human behaviour has some element of free will. Individuals are free to choose their behaviour but from within a limited repertoire.
• What is hard determinism?

  the view that all behaviour can be predicted and there is no free will. 2 are incompatable.
• What is biological determinism?

  Evidence of genetic influences on behaviour. Intelligence studies : particular genes in high intelligence (IGFZR) + genes influence brain structure and neurotransmitters.
• What is environmental determinism?

  Belief that behaviour is shaped by previous experiences through conditioning (e.g phobias). Learning theory has been applied to aggression + eating behaviour.
• What is psychic determinism?

  Suggests adult behaviour is determinded by a mix of innate drives and early experiences (both internal and external forces). Satisfaction of a stage will dominate personality.
• What is a scientific determinism/causal explanations.

  Belief that all events/behaviour have a cause. Independent variables are manipulated to observe that causal effect on a dependant variable.
• What is the difference between hard and soft determinism?

  Soft determinism means that determinism + free will are compatible and that a person's behaviour is determined but still has some choice. hard determinism is a lack of choice and that behaviour is entirely determined by internal/ external forces.
• Why is the focus of determinism on causal explaination compatible with the idea of psychology as a science?

  Scientific research is based on the belief that all events have a cause.
• Which approaches in psychology support free will?

  Humanistic, partly SLT and Cognitive (both soft determinism)
• Which approaches support determinism?

  Biological (biological determinism)

  Behaviourist (environmental determinism)

  SLT (soft determinism)

  Cognitive (soft determinism)

  Psychodynamic (psychic determinism)
• What are the main evaluation points of free will?

  For : Humanists against determinism -humans have self determination + free will. Identical twins = 80% similarity in intelligence scores + 48% in depression. But 100% same genes? something else influenced difference? Humanistic approach right - holistic + interactionist

  
  

  Against : free will = illusion - behaviourist Skinner. People might choose to do something but in reality is determined by prev. reinforcement. self-determinism = culturally relative? (only exists in individualist societies). Suggests free will is a product of socialization.
• What are the main points of evaluation of determinism?

  Against : Many do not favour a deterministic. Can provide excuse criminal behaviour. Stephen Mobley claimed 'born to kill' - history of family violence. Sentenced to death. PLUS issue in treatment of mental disorder. argues treatment- genes/neurotransmitters, ignores other possible beneficial treatments.

  Against : behaviour is too complex and therefore total determinism doesn't exist Dennett (2003). Choas theory - suggests small changes in initial conditions = causal relationships are probabilistic. Determinism = tend to oversimplify.