A03

• • highly scientific because from research it is possible to predict behaviour and to control/treat it
  • Determinism leads to practical applications, if we know the cause of abnormal behaviour in society i.e. high level of dopamine causing Schizophrenia, then it will be easier for us to develop treatments
  • using a deterministic stance has led to drugs being developed to help decrease dopamine activity in the brain
  • thus reduce positive symptoms of schizophrenia such as hallucinations.  This means when explaining human behaviour determinism can play an important part in applied psychology
• • taking a stance of hard determinism is inconsistent with the idea of self-control and responsibility which  has implications for the British legal system
  • human behaviour is a result of internal and external factors and that we have no choice over our behaviour
  • court of law, offenders are considered morally accountable for their actions, which would suggest that individual free will plays a role in whether or not someone commits a crime
• • free will can be seen as more positive stance than determinism.
  • allows people to believe that they have choice over their behaviour, which may have a positive effect on mental health
  • an internal locus of control tend to be more mentally healthy compared to those who believe that their lives are decided by events outside of their control, who were found to be at a greater risk of developing depression
  • even if we do not have free will, the fact we think we do may have a positive impact on mind and behaviour