Free will and determinism

• What is free will?

  The notion that humans can make choices and their behaviour/thoughts are not determined by biological or external forces
• What is determinism?

  The view that an individual's behaviour is shaped/controlled by internal/external forces rather than an individual's will to do something
• What is hard determinism?

  The view that behaviour is caused by something (internal/external factors); free will is an illusion
• What is soft determinism?

  The view that behaviour may be predictable (caused by internal/external factors) but there is room for personal choice from a limited range of possibilities (restricted free will)
• What is biological determinism?

  Belief behaviour is caused by biological influences
• What is environmental determinism?

  Belief behaviour is caused by features of the environment
• What is psychic determinism?

  Belief behaviour is caused by unconscious psychodynamic conflicts
• Which approach advocates free will?

  Humanistic
• Free will

  Humans are self-determining and free to choose our thoughts and actions - we reject biological and environmental forces as 'masters of our own destiny'
• Determinism

  Free will has no place in behaviour - shaped by biology, learning and thoughts
• What are the two versions of determinism?

  Soft and Hard
• What is hard determinism sometimes referred to as?

  Fatalism
• Hard determinism

  The view all behaviour can be predicted, according to action of internal and external forces beyond our control; no free will
• Soft determinism

  All human behaviour has a cause; some free will
• Hard determinism


  The view all behaviour can be predicted, according to action of internal and external forces beyond our control; no free will
• Soft determinism


  All human behaviour has a cause; some free will
• Which approach emphasises biological determinism?

  Biological
• Which three biological mechanisms are an example of biological determinism?

  Genetics

  Localisation

  Biochemistry
• Biological determinism

  Belief behaviour is caused by biological influences we cannot control
• Biological determinism


  Belief behaviour is caused by biological influences we cannot control
• Environmental determinism


  Belief behaviour is caused by previous experience through classical and operant conditioning
• Environmental determinism

  Belief behaviour is caused by previous experience through classical and operant conditioning
• Who described free will as an illusion and argued all behaviour is the result of conditioning?

  Skinner
• What type of determinism does operant conditioning link to most?

  Soft
• What type of determinism does classical conditioning link to most?

  Hard
• What type of determinism does Social Learning Theory link to most?

  Soft
• Why does classical conditioning link to hard determinism?

  External triggers prompt behaviour
• Why does operant conditioning link to soft determinism?

  Consequences make behaviour more or less likely to occur
• Why does Social Learning Theory link to soft determinism?

  More likely to imitate behaviour but cognition allows for choice
• How does environmental determinism link to social influence?

  Environment shapes obedience/conformity
• Psychic determinism


  Freud's theory of personality suggests behaviour is determined by innate drives and early experience resulting in unconscious conflicts we have no control over
• Psychic determinism

  Freud's theory of personality suggests behaviour is determined by innate drives and early experience resulting in unconscious conflicts we have no control over
• Who argued free will is an illusion and placed emphasis on biological drives and instincts?

  Freud
• What did Freud suggest something seemingly random or 'slip of the tongue' can be explained by?

  Underlying authority of the unconscious
• Why is science hard deterministic?

  Searches for causal relationships - looking to formulate general laws