Free will & determinism

Question 1

What is determinism?`

Answer 1

The view that an individuals behaviour is controlled by internal or external forces and means that behaviour should be predictable.

Question 2

What does free will refer to?

Answer 2

Refers to the other side of the spectrum where an individual is seen as being cable of self determination.

Question 3

What does free will believe?

Answer 3

Believes that individuals have an active roll in controlling their own behaviour so they are free to choose and they aren’t acting in response to external or internal pressures.

Question 5

What has research to the human genome shown (biological determinism)?

Answer 5

Shown increasing evidence in the genetic influences on behaviour.

Question 5

In biological determinism what is it believed?

Answer 5

It is believed that some of our behaviours are determined by our genes.

Question 5

What do genes also do?

Answer 5

They influence the brain structure and neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine and these are implicated in behaviour.

Question 5

In environmental determinism, how have the principles of learning theory been applied?

Answer 5

They have been applied to many areas of behaviour like aggression and eating behaviours.

Question 5

What has research into intelligence shown?

Answer 5

Research into intelligence has identified particular genes found in people with high intellignece. The IGFR2 gene (Hill et al, 1999).

Question 5

What do behaviourist believe in environmental determinism?

Answer 5

Behaviourists believe that all behaviour is caused bu previous experience through classical and operant conditioning.

Question 6

What does Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of personality suggest?

Answer 6

This suggests that adult behaviour is determined by a mix of innate drives and early experiences (internal and external forces).

Question 7

What is behaviour driven by? What is an example of psychic determinism?

Answer 7

Behaviour is driven by the libido which focuses on the erogenous zone (mouth/anus). If a child becomes fustrated or overindulged (external forces) at any stage within development so the libido remains tied to the relevant erogenous zone nd so the indiviual becomes fixated on these zones which then leads to them wanting to obtain the satisfaction of the area which will dominate them trying to gain satisfaction leading to this being a focus in adult personality.

Question 8

What is scientific research based on?

Answer 8

Based on the belief that all events have a cause.

Question 9

What happens to an IV with an emphasis on causal explanations?

Answer 9

The IV gets manpulated to observe the causal effect on the DV and this can be seen in Harlow’s research.

Question 10

What did humanistic psychologists argue?

Answer 10

Argued that self-determination is a necessary part of human behaviour and without it self development and actualisation are impossible.

Question 11

What did Rogers (1959) claim?

Answer 11

Claimed that as long as an individual remains controlled by other people or things they can not take responsibility for their behaviour so they can not change it.

Question 11

What is an example of Rogers claim?

Answer 11

These things are outside a person’s sense of self are beyonf personal control so a person who says something like ‘I lied but that isn’t like me’ doesn’t admit they are a liar so doesn’t change their behaviour and it is only when an individual takes responsibility they can seek personal growth.

Question 12

What is the basis of moral responsibility?

Answer 12

That an individual is in charge of their own actions (free will).

Question 13

What does the law state about moral responsibility?

Answer 13

That children/mentally ill do not have moral responsibilty but there is an assumption in society that normal adult behaviour is self determined meaning that humans are accountable for their actions regardless of innate factors or influences of early experiences.

Question 14

What is one way to overcome the debate between free will and determinism?

Answer 14

One way to overcome the debate is to claim that free will and determinism are not incompatiable and there is a position known as soft determinism and hard determisim meaning that everything can be determined by biology and past experiences but does leave people with some choices.

Question 15

What did Heather (1976) proposed?

Answer 15

Propsed behaviour may be predictable but does’t make it inevitabl and so individuals are free to chose their behaviour but this is a limited selection.

Question 16

What did James (1980) suggest?

Answer 16

Suggested that we should seperate behaviour into a physical and mental realm and the physical is determined and the mental is subject to free will.

Question 17

What did Valentine (1992) claim?

Answer 17

Claimed behaviour is always determined and sometimes it appears to be less determined such as behaviour that is highly constrained by a situation appears to be involuntary but behaviour that is less constrained appears to be more voluntary (this was supported by Westcott’s study).

Question 18

What is hard determinism?

Answer 18

The view that all behaviour can be predicted and there is no free will.

Question 19

What is soft determinism?

Answer 19

A version of determinidm that allows for some element of free will.