Free will and determinism

• What does free will imply about human behavior?

  Humans are free to choose thoughts/actions
• What influences behavior according to the humanistic approach?

  Biological and environmental influences
• What is hard determinism also known as?

  Fatalism
• What does hard determinism suggest about human actions?

  All actions are dictated by uncontrollable forces
• How does soft determinism differ from hard determinism?

  It allows for conscious control over behavior
• Who proposed the idea of soft determinism?

  William James
• What does biological determinism focus on?

  Physiological, genetic, and hormonal processes
• What physiological factor is mentioned in biological determinism?

  Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) on anxiety
• How can genetics influence behavior according to biological determinism?

  They may determine behaviors and characteristics
• What role do hormones play in biological determinism?

  They may determine certain behaviors
• What does environmental determinism suggest about behavior?

  Behavior is determined by conditioning
• Who popularized the idea of environmental determinism?

  B.F. Skinner
• What did Skinner argue about free will?

  He argued that free will is an illusion
• What does psychic determinism emphasize?

  Unconscious conflicts direct our behavior
• Who is associated with the concept of psychic determinism?

  Sigmund Freud
• What is the basic principle of science regarding events?

  Every event has a cause explained by laws
• How does psychology align with the aims of science?

  It seeks causal explanations for behavior
• What is the significance of lab experiments in psychology?

  They allow for stimulation of conditions and control
• What are the strengths of determinism in psychology?

  • Consistent with scientific aims
  • Increases credibility of psychology
  • Allows prediction/control of behavior
  • Leads to effective treatments (e.g., schizophrenia)
• What are the strengths of free will in psychology?

  • Everyday experiences suggest we make choices
  • Belief in free will can positively impact attitudes
  • Strong belief in fatalism linked to depression
• What is the middle ground approach in understanding behavior?

  • Combines elements of free will and determinism
  • Cognitive/social learning theories adopt soft determinism
  • Acknowledges environmental factors in learning
• What is a limitation of hard determinism in relation to the legal system?

  It conflicts with moral accountability in law
• Why is determinism considered not feasible in science?

  It assumes causes of behavior always exist