Freewill and determinism

• Determinism


  caused by a force beyond our control
• Hard Determinism


  all behaviour has a cause either internal/external. Once understood, predictions can be made
• soft Determinism 


  behaviour is controlled by forces beyond our control however, we are still capable of exercising freewill in some circumstances
• 3 Types of Determinism

  • Biological
  • Environmental
  • Psychic
• Biological Determinism

  Behaviour is controlled by our genes, brain physiology and biochemistry
• Bio examples

  • F+F controlled by ANS and not a conscious choice
  • Raine- differences in brain structures of murderers compared to non-murderers
  • Genes and NTs are known to be significant factors to schizophrenia
• Environmental Determinism

  Behaviours are determined by external forces in the environment
• Environmental Determinism examples

  • Classical and operant conditioning shows how we shape our behaviour so that it is predictable in the future.
  • Little Albert-classical conditioning to make have a Phobia of white rats
• Psychic Determinism

  the role of the unconscious mind in determining behaviour and denies the role of freewill
• Psychic determinism examples

  • Our personality is formed as a result of innate drives and early experiences neither of which we can control and fixation during the psycho sexual stages and cause personality to be fixed
  • Little Hans had a fear of horses which was a representation of a fear of his father due to castration anxiety
• Freewill

  we are self determining and have an active role in controlling our behaviour and free to choose our thoughts and actions
• Freewill examples

  • Holland = 37% of those with internal LOC refused to continue to the highest level
  • LOC- Internal= freewill, external=no freewill fate