A03

• Strength (determinism) = consistent with aims of science

  • Determinism promotes the idea that human behaviour is orderly and obeys laws which places psychology on equal footing with more established sciences
  • This prediction and control of human behaviour has led to the development of treatments, therapies and behavioural interventions that have benefited many
  • E.g. psychotherapeutic drug treatment in controlling schizophrenia
• Limitation (determinism) = inconsistent with legal system

  • Hard determinism stance = individual choice is not the cause of behaviour
  • In court = offenders held morally accountable for their actions which directly goes against determinism
  • Causes issues around whether criminals should be convicted if behaviour supposedly caused by factors outside of their control
  • E.g. Stephen Mobley case raises moral and ethical concerns
• Limitation (determinism) = genetic vs. environmental determinism

  • Neither genetic nor environmental determinism can be sole determining factor in behaviour
  • E.g. studies that compare identical twins found approx 80% similarity on intelligence -> genes don't entirely determine behaviour, but neither does environment
  • This means that an interactionist rather than deterministic approach better represents reality
• Strength (free will) = has face validity

  • Everyday experiences gives impression we are constantly exercising free will through the choices we make everyday
  • Gives face validity to concept as makes cognitive sense = has positive impact on mind and behaviour
  • E.g. research suggests people who have an internal locus of control tend to be more mentally healthy
  • Roberts et al. (2000) - adolescents with strong belief in fatalism were at greater risk of developing depression
• Limitation (free will) = research challenge to free will

  • Libet et al. (1985) found activity related to whether to press a button with the left or right hand occurs in brain up to 10 seconds before participants report being consciously aware of making such a decision
  • Follow-up research confirmed these findings
  • Suggests even most basic experiences of free will could be determined by our brain before we are aware of them
  • HOWEVER - other studies reached a different conclusion
  • Trevena and Miller (2009) - brain activity was simply a ‘readiness to act’
• What are the strengths of determinism?

  1. Consistent with aims of science
• What are the limitations of determinism?

  1. Inconsistent with legal system
  2. Neither genetic nor environmental determinism can be the sole determining factor in behaviour
• What are the strengths of free will?

  1. Face validity
• What are the limitations of free will?

  1. Research challenge to free will