Determinism

• Determinism – behaviour is controlled by external or internal factors acting upon the individual 
• Hard determinism – all behaviour can be predicted and there is no free will 
• Soft determinism – allows some element of free will 
• Fatalism – the belief that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable 
• Biological determinism 

  • Genes influence our brain structure and neurotransmitters – both of which have been linked to behaviour (e.g. dopamine hypothesis in schizophrenia)
• Biological determinism examples

  • IGF2R gene – intelligence (Hill et al)
  • MAOA and CDH13 gene – aggression and criminality 
• Biological determinism eval -

  Twin studies that look at genetic determination only find about 80% similarity on intelligence for example so they can’t fully determine behaviour.
• Environmental determinism 

  • All behaviours are caused by external factors/previous experiences through conditioning
• Environmental determinism example

  • Learning theory of attachment,
  • token economy in schizophrenia,
  • phobias learned through classical/operant conditioning 
• Environmental determinism eval -

  • Research shows that the environment cannot solely be responsible for determining behaviour, there must be some genetic input.
• Psychic determinism 

  • Freud suggested that an adult’s personality is determined by innate drives and early experience (no free will)

  Behaviour is driven by urges particularly in the libido and erogenous zones.
• Scientific determinism 

  • All behaviour has a cause – an IV is manipulated to test the DV

  This allows general laws to be made that can predict and control future events 
• +   Evidence to support determinism 

  Genetic determinism is supported by evidence from intelligence studies for example where concordance rates between twins are high. However, the concordance rate isn’t 100% so genes cannot be the sole explanation. 

  >      Therefore, there is only partial support for genetic determinism and the data implies that environment plays a role too. 

  This supports environmental determinism but again not fully.

  --> Overall, there is some evidence to support different types of determinism, but each does not seem to be able to explain behaviours in isolation.
• -       Mixed implications (1)

  The scientific study of behaviour (which relies on determinism) has led to the development of treatments for many conditions e.g. OCD and schizophrenia that have benefitted millions of people.

  >      Therefore, in terms of mental illness, behaviour does appear to be determined, which has positive implications 
• -       Mixed implications (2)

  However, if we accept that some disorders are caused by genes (and there is therefore little we can do about them), it may lead people to overlook the control they do have in situations meaning they may ignore successful approaches to treatment such as CBT. 

  >      In situations like this, determinism does have negative implications 
• -       Too heavy reliance on determinism 

  The legal system relies on the concept of moral responsibility (that we control our behaviour). If we accept that everything is determined, then it could be argued that should not be punished for our wrongdoings.

  • E.g. Mobley – who was ‘born to kill’

  --> A heavy reliance on determined behaviour can have negative effects in moral and legal situations as it can provide an excuse for the behaviour.