free will vs determinism

• free will vs determinism debate

  The free will determinism debate = is our behaviour a matter of free will ? or are we the product of a set of internal and or external influences that determine who we are and what we do ?

  Most approaches in psychology are determinist to some extent.
• key concepts of the debate -> free will

  The notion of free will suggests human beings are self determining and free to chose their own thoughts and actions. A belief in free will does not deny there may be biological and environmental factors that exert some influence on behaviours, but STILL implies we are able to reject these forces if we wish as we are in control of our thoughts/behaviours (HUMANISTIC APPROACH)
• determinism

  the view that an individuals behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces rather than an individuals will to do something
• key concepts of the debate -> determinism

  determinism proposes that free will has no place in explaining behaviour
• key concepts of the debate -> hard determinism - fatalism 


  hard determinism -> suggests all human behaviour has a cause & it should be possible to identify and describe these causes. This is compatible with the aims of science which assume that what we do is dictated by internal or external forces that we cannot control. (for some this is too extreme a position)  
• key concepts of the debate -> soft determinism

  soft determinism states that all human action has a cause but people have conscious control over behaviour.

  the philosopher James 1890 was the 1st to put forward the notion of soft determinism (a position later become important feature of cognitive approach).

  James thought that scientists should explain the determining forces acting upon us, but we still have freedom to make choices
• key concepts of the debate -> biological determinism

  the biological approach emphasises the role of biological determinism in behaviour, such as the influences of the autonomic nervous system on the stress response or the influence of genes on mental health. Modern biological psychologists would recognise the mediating influence of the environment on our biological structure. Hormones may determine actions – role of testosterone in aggression
• key concepts of the debates -> environmental determinism

  Skinner described free will as an illusion and argued that all behaviour is the result of conditioning. Although we might think we are acting independently -> our experience of ‘choice’ is the sum total of reinforcement contingencies that have acted upon us throughout our lives. Our behaviour has been shaped by environmental events & agents of socialisation
• key concepts of the debate -> psychic determinism

  Freud also thought that free will is an illusion but placed emphasis on biological drives and instincts underpinning psychological responses rather than conditioning. Freud’s psychic determinism sees behaviour as determined and directed by unconscious conflicts repressed in childhood. E.g., even a seemingly random slip of the tongue (paraplexes) are determined by the unconscious.
• key concepts of the debate -> the scientific emphasis on causal explanation

  A basic principle of science is that every event has a cause and these can be explained by general laws. Knowledge of these allows scientists to predict and control events.

  Knowledge of causes and the formulation of laws are important as they allow scientists to predict and control events in the future.

  In psychology lab experiments let researchers demonstrate causal relationships – it is like the test tube used in other sciences where all variables can be controlled.
• Strength of determinism is that it is consistent with the aims of science 


  The notion that human behaviour is orderly and obeys laws places psychology on equal footing with other more established sciences, increasing its credibility. Another strength is that the prediction and control of human behaviour has led to the development of treatments and therapies (e.g. drug treatments to manage SZ). The experience of SZ (loss of control over thoughts and behaviour) suggests some behaviours are determines (no one chooses to have SZ)
• one strength is a compromise in the middle ground position

  Approaches in psychology that have a cognitive element (e.g. social learning theory) are those which tend to adopt a soft determinist position. Bandura argued that although environmental factors in learning are key, we are free to choose who or what to attend to and when to perform certain behaviours. This middle-ground approach is helpful in understanding aspects of human behaviour which are not a straight forward choice between free will and determinism
• one limitation is hard determinism is not consistent with the legal system 


  Offenders are morally accountable for their actions in law. Only in extreme circumstances are juries instructed to act with leniency (Law of Diminished Responsibility is applied in cases of mental illness). Also determinism as an approach to scientific enquiry isn't falsifiable. It's based on idea that causes of behaviour will always exist, even thought they may not have been found. As basic a principle this is impossible to disprove. This suggests the determinist approach not be as scientific as it first appears.
• one limitation of free will is that it is not supported by neurological evidence 


  Brain studies of decision making have revealed evidence against free will. Libet in 1985 and Soon in 2008 found that the brain activity related to the decision to press a button with the left or right hand occurs 10 seconds before participants report being consciously aware of making such a decision. This shows that even our most basic experiences of free will are decided and determined by our brain before we become aware of them. This is a scary and disturbing finding.