Free will v determinism

• define free will


  the notion that all behaviour results from a person's own active voilition (will)

  we are 'self determining' and free from causal influences, so each person has the freedom to choose what they think or do
• do people with free will respond to other influences

  people are not acting in response to any external or internal (biological) pressures
• give an example of Free will - an approach's beliefs

  Humanism:

  they argue we make choices about how we behave and we should pursue what we find fulfilling
• what type of potential do humanists believe in

  an inborn potential influences our behaviour, then we seek out experiences to fulfill that potential
• what is the issue with inborn potential

  Maslow (1968) sees our 'inborn potential' as being in our biology, so shows an influence from biological determinism - no longer entirely free will
• define determinism


  the position that all thought and behaviour are controlled by forces that are outside of a person's individual control - internal or external
• what are the 3 types of determinism

  1. Biological determinism

  2. Environmental determinism

  3. Psychic determinism
• what is biological determinism


  The belief that behaviour is caused by internal biological factors (genetic, hormonal, evolutionary) and we cannot control them
• give some examples of biological determinism

  biological explanation for:

  + Schizophrenia - genetics, abnormal dopamine levels

  + OCD - SERT gene, low serotonin

  + crime - MAOA-L, brain abnormalities, damaged amygdala

  + gender - chromosomes, hormones

  + Bowlby's theory of attachment - genetics, evolutionary
• define environmental determinism


  the belief that behaviour is caused by external factors of the environment that we have no control over - previous rewards/punishments
• how did Skinner describe free will/determinism

  Skinner described free will as an 'illusion', our feeling of choice is the result of years of reinforcement/punishments = we are agents of socialisation from parents/peers
• give some examples of environmental determinism

  + offending - learnt attitudes/techniques from others

  + phobias - learnt through CC, maintained through OC

  + attachment -

  + gender - SLT

  token economies in: Sz/offending,
• define psychic determinism


  the belief that behaviour is caused by unconscious conflicts that we cannot control
• how did Freud see free will/determinism

  Freud saw free will as an illusion, because behaviour is caused by unconscious conflicts and biological drives that are hidden from conscious awareness
• give some examples of psychic determinism

  psychodynamic explanation of:

  + gender - resolving Oedipus/electra complex

  + crime - inadequate superegos

  + personality/adult characteristics - progress through psychosexual stages
• what are the 2 degrees of determinism

  Hard determinism

  Soft determinism
• define hard determinsim


  this suggests that all behaviour has an internal or external cause that can be investigated

  it is fatalistic = behaviour will happen
• define soft determinism


  sees behaviour as having a cause, but we have mental control over the way we behave

  determining forces act upon us, but we have the freedom to make choices - predictability doesn't = inevitability
• where does each approach lie on the degrees of determinsim

  Hard determinism: Biological, Behaviourist, Psychodynamic

  Soft determinism: Cognitive

  Free will: Humanistic
• what makes something scientific - basic assumption

  basic assumptions of science = causality

  everything has a cause and effect, which allows general laws to be established and phenomena to be predicted, controlled and experimented on
• why is determinism seen as more scientific

  Determinism = assumes that behaviour has a cause and is determined by something else - scientists believe in a deterministic approach

  Free will = much harder to control and measure
• what is an argument for free will - example

  + people believe they are self-determining and have intuitive appeal:

  everday experience gives the impression of free will in the choices we make, e.g: what we have for lunch
• explain how this is a strength - consequences of believing we don't have FW

  + face validity to the concept of free will and believing in FW has psychological benefits:

  those with an internal LOC (believe they are in control of their life) tend to be more mentally healthy

  if we're told we don't have FW = destabilising & unmotivating
• what is a however point to the face validity of FW

  However, believing it doesn't make it true

  Skinner argued FW is an illusion, we aren't aware of the causes of our actions
• what is an argument against FW - research evidence

  - Libet: the brain can indicate which hand a person chooses to move before the person is consciously aware of having made that choice
• what does this suggest about FW - furthermore

  people are not actually freely making decisions, but their decisions are determined by the brain before they choose which hand to move

  furthermore the brain indicated which hand up to 10seconds before the "choice" was made, showing how late it is in compaism to the brains decision
• what is an argument for determinism - example

  + supporting scientific research - the basic principles of science is to establish causes to predict/control events

  example: when determining the causes of mental illness, casts doubt over FW as you wouldn't choose to have a disorder, e.g schizophrenia
• explain how this supports determinism

  + there are practical applications if mental illness is determined:

  understanding the causation can lead to successful treatment options
• what is a however point to this

  determinism is an unfalsifiable concept:

  if research found that behaviour wasn't determined it could just be argued it is as the cause hasn't been identified
• what is an argument against determinism - example

  - the hard determinism stance is not representative with society's view on our moral responsibility over our behaviour

  example: legal system relies on people taking accountability for their actions and assumes they have moral responsibility - doesn't support hard determinism stance
• explain how hard determinism is an issue for legal systems - however


  criminals could argue their behaviour was determined (e.g gene/upbringing) so therefore it questions whether they should be punished

  however: if it's more soft determinism then even though influences may increase the chance of offending, people can still make choices to not act in a criminal way