free will and determinism Flashcards
what is free will?
- the idea that we play an active role in our behaviour and are free to choose what we do
- a person is responsible for their actions, so it is impossible to predict human behaviour with any precision
what is determinism?
- the idea that our behaviour is governed by internal or external forces that we have no control over
- therefore our behaviour is predictable
- the causal laws of determinism form the basis of science
hard determinism
- the view that forces outside of our control shape our behaviour
- it is incompatible with free will
soft determinism
- behaviour is constrained by the environment or our genetics, but only to a certain extent
- some behaviours are more constrained than others and there is an element of free will in our behaviour
- we can choose how to behave, but we only have a limited number of behaviour to choose from
biological determinism
- all human behaviour is innate and is determined by our genes
- supported by research into the human genome: for example research has found that a particular gene (IGF2r) is implicated in intelligence
environmental determinism
- behaviour is determined or caused by forces outside the individual
- focuses on previous experiences learned through cc and oc
- e.g. bandura found children with violent parents are more likely to be violent themselves due to observational learning
psychic determinism
human behaviour is the result of childhood experiences and innate drives, (e.g. the id, ego and superego) like in freud’s model of psychological development
give a limitation of determinism
1/2
humanistic psychologists reject determinism, claiming that humans have self determination and free will, and that behaviour is not the result of one single cause but instead multiple factors. there are multiple studies that support this view. for example, twin studies find an 80% similarity in intelligence, and 40% for the likelihood of depression. however, since identical twins share 100% of their dna, this indicates that at least some aspect is based on environmental (other) factors. this indicates that no behaviour is entirely biologically or environmentally determined, and that specific forms of determinism cannot explain any particular behaviour
give a limitation of determinism
2/2
many psychologists, legal experts and theorists oppose the idea of determinism, as the idea that behaviour is determined by external forces may offer an excuse for criminal behaviour. for example, in 1981 stephen mobley claimed he was ‘born to kill’ due to his family’s predisposition towards violence after he killed a pizza shop manager. the american court however rejected this argument. therefore, a strictly deterministic stance may be problematic as it may provide justification for people, allowing them to lessen their liability, potentially causing issues regarding the nature of responsibility and intent. overall, the nature of determinism cannot exist alongside a fair justice system
evaluate determinism
1/1
freud does appear to support a deterministic approach, claiming that the unconscious controls our actions and thoughts, however the aim of psychoanalysis is to overcome this force. erich fromm (1941), an influential neo-freudian, echoes this and argues that humans have the capacity to control their lives but often give up this autonomy due to fear, allowing external forces like circumstance, others’ influence, political ideology or irrationality to control them. he emphasises that determinism isn’t inevitable, and highlights that human freedom is the ability to choose between good and evil
give a strength of determinism (also a limitation of free will)
1/1
some psychologists, like skinner, argue that free will is an illusion, suggesting our behaviour is environmentally determined. recent evidence supports this claim, for example libet at al (1983) found that activity in the motor region of the brain came before conscious registration of a decision, indicating that many responses are biologically determined. this challenges the idea of free will, supporting skinner’s claim that it is purely illusory
the scientific emphasis on causal relationships
- science is highly deterministic in its search for causal relationships, aiming to see if x causes y
- loftus and palmer (1974) manipulated the verb used to see its affect on estimate of speed
- in bandura’s bobo doll, he manipulated the condition the children were exposed to to see the effect on the children’s behaviour
give a limitation of hard determinism
1/1
even in natural sciences, hard determinism is no longer accepted. it seemed more appropriate in the 18th and 19th centuries when physicists aimed for precise and accurate predictions. however, 20th century discoveries, such as the chaos theory, revealed that they were too optimistic. for instance, tiny changes in initial conditions can lead to significant future changes, making it impossible to accurately predict outcomes. therefore, hard determinism isn’t suitable in such scenarios
give a limitation of causation
1/1
experiments aim to establish causation, but often discount or minimise the importance of ev’s that haven’t been controlled. additionally, they tend to make generalisations about human behaviour, and fail to recognise that in different circumstances, our behaviour may not be affected by x. there are so many variables that affect human behaviours that it is impossible to control them all effectively.
evaluate causality
1/1
according to baumeister (2009),psychological causality is arguably never deterministic. statistical tests reveal the probability that something has occurred by chance, therefore our entire statistical enterprise is built on the idea of multiple possibilities as opposed to a single cause
