Free will and determinism

Question 1

Free will

Answer 1

The idea that our behaviour is governed by our choices, and that we are self-determined.

Question 2

The scientific emphasis on casual explanations

Answer 2

The intervention of free will does not easily allow for causes that lead to predictable outcomes.

Question 3

Determinism

Answer 3

Idea that what happens has to happen and could not have occurred any other way than the way it did.

Question 4

Hard determinism

Answer 4

Sees free will as an illusion and believes that forces outside of our control govern our behaviour.

Question 5

Soft determinism

Answer 5

Idea that only some elements of our behaviour are determined and the rest is open to free will.

Question 6

Biological/ genetic determinism

Answer 6

The belief that human characteristics are governed by biological (genetic, evolutionary, hormonal) influences that are out of our control
Supported by:
Biological approach- Phineas Gage

Question 7

Environmental determinism

Answer 7

The view that behavioural characteristics are largely the result of environmental conditions.
Supported by:
Behaviourist approach- B.F Skinner
Cognitive approach (soft environmental determinism)
Social learning theory- Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961)

Question 8

Conclusion

Answer 8

All forms of determinism reject the notion of free will.
Biological and genetic determinism argue that we cannot have free will as we are governed by our own internal makeup.

Environmental determinism argues that we cannot have free will as we simply respond to whether a behaviour has been met with good or unpleasant outcomes.

Question 9

Evaluation

Answer 9

Limitations:
Determinism devalues human behaviour and underestimates the uniqueness and freedom of human beings in deciding their own destiny.

Strength:
It has implications in the legal field.
Deterministic explanations for behaviour reduces individual responsibility and helps to explain/ defend the case of criminals who commit crimes due to their psychiatric problems. This suggests their behaviour is determined.

The deterministic approach also has implications for psychology as a science. Scientists are interested in finding laws which can be used to predict events (can be seen in biology, chemistry and physics). As a science psychology attempts to do the same by developing laws to predict behaviour. Hence rejecting the deterministic approach means rejecting the scientific approach to explaining behaviour.