2.2: Free will and determinism Flashcards by Kirandeep Kaur

Discuss the free will and determinism debate.

Refer to two topics you have studied in psychology in your answer (16 marks)

Free will is that human beings are self-determining and have choice over their thoughts and actions.
Therefore, humans are responsible and accountable for their actions

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Whilst the environment may have some influence over our behaviour, we are able to reject or accept these influences as the masters or mistresses of our own destiny.
The choices we make are not determined by biological or external forces and we are in control of our own destinies

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The humanistic approach is one of the few to adopt a free will perspective on behaviour.
The concept is central to Roger’s client-centred therapy, which promotes the concept that people are free to make changes in their lives through the choices they make.
Individuals can remove psychological barriers, thus allowing personal growth and self-actualisation

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Hard determinism (also known as fatalism), claims that free will is not possible, as all human behaviour has an internal (biological or psychic determinism) or external (environmental determinism) cause beyond our control and, like science, argues that it is possible to establish causal laws governing behaviour

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Determinism is the view that an individual's behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces, rather than an individual's will to do something.
Free will has nothing to do with explaining behaviour.
There are 5 types of determinism - hard, soft, biological, environmental and psychic.
Hard determinism (also known as fatalism), claims that free will is not possible, as all human behaviour has an internal (biological or psychic determinism) or external (environmental determinism) cause beyond our control and, like science, argues that it is possible to establish causal laws governing behaviour.
Soft determinism

Soft determinism was first suggested by William James (1890) and later adopted by the cognitive approach.
Soft determinism accepts that while all behaviour has a cause, people do have conscious mental control over what they do.
James pointed out that whilst science may wish to find causal connections explaining behaviour, this does not diminish the fact that humans are rational beings, capable of making decisions for themselves regarding their actions

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Determinism is the view that an individual's behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces, rather than an individual's will to do something.
Free will has nothing to do with explaining behaviour.
There are 5 types of determinism - hard, soft, biological, environmental and psychic.
Hard determinism (also known as fatalism), claims that free will is not possible, as all human behaviour has an internal (biological or psychic determinism) or external (environmental determinism) cause beyond our control and, like science, argues that it is possible to establish causal laws governing behaviour.
Soft determinism was first suggested by William James (1890) and later adopted by the cognitive approach.
Soft determinism accepts that while all behaviour has a cause, people do have conscious mental control over what they do.
James pointed out that whilst science may wish to find causal connections explaining behaviour, this does not diminish the fact that humans are rational beings, capable of making decisions for themselves regarding their actions.
Biological determinism

Biological determinism is the belief that behaviour is caused by biological (genetic, hormonal and evolutionary) influences that we cannot control

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Determinism is the view that an individual's behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces, rather than an individual's will to do something.
Free will has nothing to do with explaining behaviour.
There are 5 types of determinism - hard, soft, biological, environmental and psychic.
Hard determinism (also known as fatalism), claims that free will is not possible, as all human behaviour has an internal (biological or psychic determinism) or external (environmental determinism) cause beyond our control and, like science, argues that it is possible to establish causal laws governing behaviour.
Soft determinism was first suggested by William James (1890) and later adopted by the cognitive approach.
Soft determinism accepts that while all behaviour has a cause, people do have conscious mental control over what they do.
James pointed out that whilst science may wish to find causal connections explaining behaviour, this does not diminish the fact that humans are rational beings, capable of making decisions for themselves regarding their actions.
Biological determinism is the belief that behaviour is caused by biological (genetic, hormonal and evolutionary) influences that we cannot control.
The biological approach

The biological approach emphasises the role of biological determinism in behaviour.
For example, the genetic causes of schizophrenia, the impact of hormones such as testosterone on aggression and how our autonomic nervous system triggers our fight or flight response during periods of stress and anxiety

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Modern biopsychologists would also recognise the impact the environment has on our behaviour and conclude that we are doubly determined by internal and external forces beyond our control

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Determinism is the view that an individual's behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces, rather than an individual's will to do something.
Free will has nothing to do with explaining behaviour.
There are 5 types of determinism - hard, soft, biological, environmental and psychic.
Hard determinism (also known as fatalism), claims that free will is not possible, as all human behaviour has an internal (biological or psychic determinism) or external (environmental determinism) cause beyond our control and, like science, argues that it is possible to establish causal laws governing behaviour.
Soft determinism was first suggested by William James (1890) and later adopted by the cognitive approach.
Soft determinism accepts that while all behaviour has a cause, people do have conscious mental control over what they do.
James pointed out that whilst science may wish to find causal connections explaining behaviour, this does not diminish the fact that humans are rational beings, capable of making decisions for themselves regarding their actions.
Biological determinism is the belief that behaviour is caused by biological (genetic, hormonal and evolutionary) influences that we cannot control.
The biological approach emphasises the role of biological determinism in behaviour.
For example, the genetic causes of schizophrenia, the impact of hormones such as testosterone on aggression and how our autonomic nervous system triggers our fight or flight response during periods of stress and anxiety.
Modern biopsychologists would also recognise the impact the environment has on our behaviour and conclude that we are doubly determined by internal and external forces beyond our control.
Environmental determinism

Environmental determinism is the belief that behaviour is caused by features of the environment, such as systems of reward and punishment, that we cannot control

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Behaviourist psychologist BF Skinner famously described free will as ‘an illusion’ and argued that all behaviour is the result of conditioning.
We may think that we are behaving of our own free will. but it is in fact the result of reinforcement that has occurred throughout our life as we are shaped by our environment and agents of socialisation (parents, teachers and institutions)

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Determinism is the view that an individual’s behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces, rather than an individual’s will to do something.
Free will has nothing to do with explaining behaviour.
There are 5 types of determinism - hard, soft, biological, environmental and psychic.
Hard determinism (also known as fatalism), claims that free will is not possible, as all human behaviour has an internal (biological or psychic determinism) or external (environmental determinism) cause beyond our control and, like science, argues that it is possible to establish causal laws governing behaviour.
Soft determinism was first suggested by William James (1890) and later adopted by the cognitive approach.
Soft determinism accepts that while all behaviour has a cause, people do have conscious mental control over what they do.
James pointed out that whilst science may wish to find causal connections explaining behaviour, this does not diminish the fact that humans are rational beings, capable of making decisions for themselves regarding their actions.
Biological determinism is the belief that behaviour is caused by biological (genetic, hormonal and evolutionary) influences that we cannot control.
The biological approach emphasises the role of biological determinism in behaviour.
For example, the genetic causes of schizophrenia, the impact of hormones such as testosterone on aggression and how our autonomic nervous system triggers our fight or flight response during periods of stress and anxiety.
Modern biopsychologists would also recognise the impact the environment has on our behaviour and conclude that we are doubly determined by internal and external forces beyond our control.
Environmental determinism is the belief that behaviour is caused by features of the environment, such as systems of reward and punishment, that we cannot control.
Behaviourist psychologist BF Skinner famously described free will as ‘an illusion’ and argued that all behaviour is the result of conditioning.
We may think that we are behaving of our own free will. but it is in fact the result of reinforcement that has occurred throughout our life as we are shaped by our environment and agents of socialisation (parents, teachers and institutions).
Psychic determinism

Psychic determinism is the belief that behaviour is caused by unconscious conflicts that we cannot control

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The psychodynamic approach and Freud argue that behaviour is determined and shaped by our biological drives and instincts that are directed by our unconscious conflicts repressed in childhood.
According to Freud, there is no such thing as innocuous ‘slip of the tongue’ comments or random acts, as everything can be explained by the underlying authority of the unconscious

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First AO3 PEEL paragraph

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that everyday experience gives the impression that we are constantly exercising free will through the choices we make on any given day

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The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that everyday experience gives the impression that we are constantly exercising free will through the choices we make on any given day.
What does this do?

This gives face validity to the free will argument - it makes cognitive sense

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As well as this, research suggests that people who have an internal locus of control, believing that they have a high degree of influence over events and their own behaviour, tend to be more mentally healthy

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For example, Roberts et al. (2000) demonstrated that adolescents with a strong belief in fatalism, that their lives were ‘decided’ by events outside of their control, were at significantly greater risk of developing depression

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that everyday experience gives the impression that we are constantly exercising free will through the choices we make on any given day.
This gives face validity to the free will argument - it makes cognitive sense.
As well as this, research suggests that people who have an internal locus of control, believing that they have a high degree of influence over events and their own behaviour, tend to be more mentally healthy.
For example, Roberts et al. (2000) demonstrated that adolescents with a strong belief in fatalism, that their lives were ‘decided’ by events outside of their control, were at significantly greater risk of developing depression.
Therefore,

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Therefore, just the thought that we have free will, even if we don’t, may have a positive impact on our mind and behaviour

Second AO3 PEEL paragraph

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The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, free will is an illusion

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, free will is an illusion.

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Neurological studies by Chi Siong Soon et al. (2008) suggest that our brain makes decisions regarding our actions before we become consciously aware of them.
They found that the decision as to whether to press a button with our left hand or right hand was made by our brain 10 seconds before participants report being consciously aware of making such a decision

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This shows that even our most basic experiences of free will are decided and determined by our brain before we become aware of them

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, free will is an illusion.
Neurological studies by Chi Siong Soon et al. (2008) suggest that our brain makes decisions regarding our actions before we become consciously aware of them.
They found that the decision as to whether to press a button with our left hand or right hand was made by our brain 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.
Our brain

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Our brain undermines our experiences of free will and this shows that the free will argument is not valid

Third AO3 PEEL paragraph

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The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that a strength of determinism is that it is consistent with the aims of science

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that a strength of determinism is that it is consistent with the aims of science.

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The notion that human behaviour is orderly and obeys laws places psychology on equal footing with other more established sciences

Discuss the free will and determinism debate. Refer to two topics you have studied in psychology in your answer (16 marks). Free will is that human beings are self-determining and have choice over their thoughts and actions. Therefore, humans are responsible and accountable for their actions. Whilst the environment may have some influence over our behaviour, we are able to reject or accept these influences as the masters or mistresses of our own destiny. The choices we make are not determined by biological or external forces and we are in control of our own destinies. The humanistic approach is one of the few to adopt a free will perspective on behaviour. The concept is central to Roger's client-centred therapy, which promotes the concept that people are free to make changes in their lives through the choices they make. Individuals can remove psychological barriers, thus allowing personal growth and self-actualisation. Determinism is the view that an individual's behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces, rather than an individual's will to do something. Free will has nothing to do with explaining behaviour. There are 5 types of determinism - hard, soft, biological, environmental and psychic. Hard determinism (also known as fatalism), claims that free will is not possible, as all human behaviour has an internal (biological or psychic determinism) or external (environmental determinism) cause beyond our control and, like science, argues that it is possible to establish causal laws governing behaviour. Soft determinism was first suggested by William James (1890) and later adopted by the cognitive approach. Soft determinism accepts that while all behaviour has a cause, people do have conscious mental control over what they do. James pointed out that whilst science may wish to find causal connections explaining behaviour, this does not diminish the fact that humans are rational beings, capable of making decisions for themselves regarding their actions. Biological determinism is the belief that behaviour is caused by biological (genetic, hormonal and evolutionary) influences that we cannot control. The biological approach emphasises the role of biological determinism in behaviour. For example, the genetic causes of schizophrenia, the impact of hormones such as testosterone on aggression and how our autonomic nervous system triggers our fight or flight response during periods of stress and anxiety. Modern biopsychologists would also recognise the impact the environment has on our behaviour and conclude that we are doubly determined by internal and external forces beyond our control. Environmental determinism is the belief that behaviour is caused by features of the environment, such as systems of reward and punishment, that we cannot control. Behaviourist psychologist BF Skinner famously described free will as 'an illusion' and argued that all behaviour is the result of conditioning. We may think that we are behaving of our own free will. but it is in fact the result of reinforcement that has occurred throughout our life as we are shaped by our environment and agents of socialisation (parents, teachers and institutions). Psychic determinism is the belief that behaviour is caused by unconscious conflicts that we cannot control. The psychodynamic approach and Freud argue that behaviour is determined and shaped by our biological drives and instincts that are directed by our unconscious conflicts repressed in childhood. According to Freud, there is no such thing as innocuous 'slip of the tongue' comments or random acts, as everything can be explained by the underlying authority of the unconscious. The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that everyday experience gives the impression that we are constantly exercising free will through the choices we make on any given day. This gives face validity to the free will argument - it makes cognitive sense. As well as this, research suggests that people who have an internal locus of control, believing that they have a high degree of influence over events and their own behaviour, tend to be more mentally healthy. For example, Roberts et al. (2000) demonstrated that adolescents with a strong belief in fatalism, that their lives were 'decided' by events outside of their control, were at significantly greater risk of developing depression. Therefore, just the thought that we have free will, even if we don't, may have a positive impact on our mind and behaviour. The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, free will is an illusion. Neurological studies by Chi Siong Soon et al. (2008) suggest that our brain makes decisions regarding our actions before we become consciously aware of them. They found that the decision as to whether to press a button with our left hand or right hand was made by our brain 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. Our brain undermines our experiences of free will and this shows that the free will argument is not valid. The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that a 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. In addition, what is the value of such research?

In addition, research based on determinism has led to the development of treatments, therapies and behavioural interventions that have enabled us to control behaviours

For example, psychotherapeutic drug treatment in controlling and managing schizophrenia, where sufferers appear to have no choice over their behaviours

The experience of mental disorders like schizophrenia where sufferers experience a total loss of control over their thoughts and behaviour casts doubt on the concept of free will, as noone would 'choose' to have schizophrenia

At least in terms of mental illness, behaviour appears to be determined, which suggests that the determinism argument is valid

The fourth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that determinism is not consistent with the way in which our legal system operates, because it is incompatible with our notions of legal responsibility, that criminals are held to be personally and morally accountable for their actions

Very few individuals would represent themselves in court by trying to appeal to a judge and jury that their offence was biologically, environmentally or psychically determined. Only in extreme circumstances are juries instructed to act with greater leniency. For example, when the Law of Diminished Responsibility is applied

This comes into play when, for various reasons, a defendant is assumed to have not acted in accordance with their own free will

For example, in cases of self-defence, mental illness and so-called 'crimes of passion' (when a judgement of temporary insanity may be made)

As well as this, despite its scientific credentials, determinism as an approach is unfalsifiable

It is based on the idea that causes of behaviour will always exist, even though they may not yet have been found

As a basic principle, this is impossible to prove wrong

This suggests that the determinist approach to human behaviour may not be as scientific as it first seems

The fifth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that those approaches in psychology that have a cognitive element, such as social learning theory, are those which tend to adopt a soft determinist position

For example, Bandura argued that whilst our environment may influence our learning experiences, we are free to choose who or what to attend to and when to perform certain behaviours

Bandura also suggested reciprocal determinism and this is a compromise in the free will and determinism debate

2.2: Free will and determinism Flashcards

(39 cards)