Free will and Determinism

• What is Free will

  Free will suggests that humans are free to make their own decisions and their behaviour is not caused by biological or external factors
• What is Determinism

  Determinism is the idea that our behaviour is controlled by biological or external forces and therefore we have no free will or control over our actions
• What is Soft Determinism

  A compromise position where behaviour is seen as determined to an extent, but people have a degree of choice
• What is Hard determinism

  Free will is not possible

  Everything is caused by forces beyond our control
• Biological determinism

  The biological approach emphasises the role of biological causes on our behaviour. Many of our physiological and neurological processes happen without our conscious contol, for example the influence of the autonomic nervous system during periods of stress and anxiety. Lots of behaviours and characteristics such as mental disorders are thought to have a genetic basis, for example research by Dabbs et al. has demonstrated the effect of hormones, where they found high levels of testosterone in violent criminals. this suggests that the behaviour of these individuals was determined and not caused by free will
• Environmental determinism

  Skinner described free will as an 'illusion' and argued that all of our behaviour is the result of conditioning (learning). Our experience of choice is because of reinforcements that have acted upon us. We may think we are acting independently, But our behaviour has been shaped by environmental events, as well as agents of socialisation - parents, teachers etc
• Psychic determinism

  Freud type of determinism sees human behaviour as determined and directed by unconscious conflicts, repressed in childhood. there is no such thing as an accident according to Freud, and even something as seemingly random or a 'skip of the tongue' can be explained by unconscious conflicts and childhood experiences. He believed free will was simply an 'illusion'.
• Experimental determinism

  A type of determinism where complex behaviour is reduced to a single (isolated) variable for testing.
• determinism means all behaviour has identifiable causes and this means that all future behaviour should be predictable
• One of the basic principles of science is that events have cause and that causes can be explained by general laws (theories). this allows scientists to make predictions and control future events.

  In a lab experiment researchers try to eliminate all of the extraneous variables to control and predict behaviour. we can also make deterministic conclusions. This is desiravble in a science as we have determined the factors that influence behaviour
• How does each debate link with each approach ?

  Biological -

  • Biological determinism

  • The biological approach emphasises the role of biological causes on our behaviour, we do not have free will.

  • Lots of behaviours and characteristics such as mental disorders are thought to have a genetic basis, for example research by Dabbs et al. has demonstrated the effect of hormones, where they found high levels of testosterone in violent criminals. This suggests that the behaviour of these individuals was determined and not caused by free will
• How does each debate link with each approach ?

  Behaviourist -

  • Environmental determinism

  • Skinner described free will as an 'illusion' and argued that all our behaviour is the result of conditioning. All of our behaviour has been shaped by environmental events, As well as agents of socialisation - parents, teachers.

  •Watson and Rayner demonstrated that fear can be learnt through classical conditioning. They taught little albert to have a fear of anything fear of anything furry. This shows determinism is in action because the behaviour is determined by experience
• How does each debate link with each approach?

  Cognitive -

  •Soft determinism

  • The free will of our thoughts is limited to the constraints of our mental capacity

  •We have choice but this is limited by our mental abilities and the biological processes of the brain

  • Mental illnesses appear to undermine the concept of free will. For example individuals with OCD lose control of their thoughts and actions
• How does each debate link with each approach?

  Psychodynamic -

  • Psych determinism

  • Freud's type of determinism sees human behavior determined and directed by unconscious conflicts, repressed in childhood.

  • There's no such thing as an accident, according to Freud and even something random can be explained by unconscious conflicts.

  •Believed free will was an 'illusion
• How does each debate link with each approach?

  Humanistic -

  • Maslow's hierarchy of needs reflects the idea that we can choose to develop different needs.

  • He highlighted free will as being central to his theory and emphasised the uniqueness of each individuals choice
• Arguments for free will

  • It has face validity - we believe we make our own choices

  • If we have high internal locus of control we choose how to behave and will be more psychologically healthy
• Arguments against free will

  • Neurological studies suggest that we don't have free will

  • Libet (1985) and Chun sion soon (2008) found that brain activity associated with whether to press a button with their left or right hand occurs in a brain up to 10 seconds before we are consciously aware of the decision
• Arguments for Determinism

  • Determinism fits with science as we can predict and control human behavior

  • A deterministic view has led to treatments and therapies e.g. drug treatment for schizophrenia

  • Mental illness such as schizophrenia appear to be determined as schizophrenics experience a total loss of control over their thoughts and behavior
• Arguments against determinism

  • The legal system implies that we do have free will as we are punished if we make wrong choices - hard determinism isn't consistent with this.

  • Determinism is unjustifiable as we cant always identify what our behavior is caused by