Free Will Flashcards
(13 cards)
Free Will
The idea that individuals have the ability to make choices independently of internal or external influences.
DETERMINISM VS FREE WILL
Determinism - all behaviour is caused by preceding factors outside of conscious control, limiting true free choice
Libets Experiment (1983)
participants asked to move a finger while noting the position of a clock when they became aware of the intention to move
findings: brain activity been 300-500ms before conscious awareness of intention
interpretation suggests unconscious brain processes initiate actions before conscious intentions
-raises questions about whether conscious will is an illusion
CRITICISM FOR LIBETS EXPERIMENT (1983)
Methodological: timing subjective awareness is imprecise
alternative:
- Trevena & Miler (2010) found similar brain activity even when participants decided not to move
-Libet himself proposed a “veto” power- free will could intervene after unconscious initiation (the so-called “free won’t”).
WEGNERS ILLUSION OF CONSCIOUS WILL (2002)
claim: our sense of free will is an illusion created by conscious thoughts coinciding with unconscious actions
study: participants experienced sense of control over actions they didn’t cause when primed with predictive thoughts
NEUROSCIENTIFIC CHALLENGES
Soon et al. (2008)
Finding: fMRI detected decisions several seconds before conscious awareness.
Criticism: These decisions were simple (left or right button press) — far from reflecting real-life choices involving values, ethics, and consequences.
Baumeister et al. (2008)
-argues free will exists as psychological construct essential for:
moral responsibility
social cooperation
long-term goal setting
studies show people who believe in free will exhibit higher self-control and prosocial behaviour
CRITICISM FOR BAUMEISTER ET AL (2008)
The operational definition of “free will” in psychology often diverges from philosophical conceptions.
Could be influenced by social desirability and cultural expectations.
Psychological approach that supports free will
The humanistic approach, particularly thinkers like Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow.
biological determinism
-argues that our behaviour, thoughts & feelings are controlled primarily by biological factors such as genetics, brain structure hormones etc
- genetic inheritance influence personality traits
-example: twin studies show higher concordance rates for disorders like schizophrenia or depression among identical twins, compared to fraternal twins, suggesting genetic influence
-behaviours may seem predetermined by biology which reduces perceived individual responsibility
psychic determinism
-holds that unconscious drives, desires and early childhood experiences determine behaviour
- behaviour motivated by unconscious conflicts
-defence mechanism
actions = result of these unconscious mental processes
-example : persons phobia = stem from repressed trauma, aware of consciously
-view suggests limited conscious control
environmental determinism
-claims behaviour shaped entirely by external environmental stimuli and past learning experiences
-classical conditioning & operant conditioning explain learning of behaviours, enviorment shapes behaviour through rewards, punishments, modelling
-free will = illusion (behaviour is predictable to environmental condition)
-example - child learning aggressive behaviour by observing aggressive role model
psychological determinism
- asserts that internal mental processes such as beliefs, attitudes and thought pattern determine behaviour
-thoughts,schemas & cognitive biases influence how we interpret events & decide to act
-dysfunctional thinking = leads to maladaptive behaviour
-example: someone with panic disorder - misinterpret bodily sensations as sign of heart attack
-deterministic
