Issues and Debates Flashcards
(175 cards)
What is the argument line of the free will and determinism debate?
Whether or not people are free to choose how to think and behave, or whether behaviour is determined and caused by factors outside on an individuals control
What is free will?
when we have full control over our behaviour, and no internal or external factors affect the choice
What is determinism?
the view that we never have control over our behaviour, as all behaviour has a cause
Which approach assumes free will?
Humanistic approach
What are the three types of determinism
Biological, environmental and psychic
What does the psychodynamic approach assume about determinism?
Psychic determinism, whereby behaviour is caused by the unconscious mind - repressed childhood experiences
What does the behaviourist approach assume about determinism?
environmental determinism, whereby all behaviour is caused by our environment - classical conditioning
What does the bioloigcal approach assume about determinism?
biological determinism, whereby all behaviour is caused by biological factors - natural selection
What is hard determinism?
The idea that all behaviour is predictable and caused by forces outside of the persons control, therefore we cannot control the forces acting on thoughts and behaviour
What is soft determinism?
The idea that all behaviours have causes, but behaviour can be determines by our conscious choices in the absence of coercion. Free of coercion but not free of causation/
What are the 2 types of internal determinism?
- Psychic determinism
- Biological Determinism
What is external determinism?
- Environmental determinism
What does environmental determinism suggest?
Behaviour occurs due to a cause in the environment that is external to the individual
What is psychic determinism?
all thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are determined by unconscious forces, such as past experiences or repressed desires. It suggests that free will is an illusion, as everything, including seemingly random actions, has an underlying cause rooted in the unconscious mind.
What is biological determinism?
the belief that human behavior and characteristics are largely shaped by genetic or biological factors, such as genetics, hormones, or brain structure. It suggests that our actions, thoughts, and emotions are predetermined by our biology, limiting the influence of free will.
What is evidence to support environmental determinism?
Milgram’s conformity study
What is evidence to support biological determinism?
Genes - twin studies suggest a genetic predisposition in schizophrenia (46% in identical twins, but only 1% un the general population). This suggests that the incidence of schizophrenia is, at least partially determined by genetic factors
What approach takes an interactionist viewpoint for free will v determinism?
the biological approach - consider the interaction between the environment and biology, all behaviour occur within an environment
What topic relates to psychic determinism?
Attachment
Explain how Attachment supports psychic determinism?
Bowby’s attachment theory suggests that the relationship a child has with their parent determines future relationships. In Main’s Adult Attachment Interview, she found a high correlation between childhood attachment and later relationships with children and partners. This supports psychic determinism, as it implies that early attachment patterns shape future relationships, suggesting that unconscious experiences from childhood influence adult behavior in a determined way.
What topic provides support for environmental determinism?
Social Influence
How does social influence provide support for environmental determinism?
Milgrams research into obedience demonstrated the power of the situation; the highest obedience levels were found in the variation when the victim could not been seen or heard. This is evidence for environmental determinism as the situation has governed the behaviour of the participants
What topic supports free will?
Social Influence
How does social influence support free will?
Milgrams obedience study could be argued to say that participants in Milgrams obedience research who did not obey the authority figure were exercising their free will to choose their behaviour (only 65% obeyed in the original research, therefore 35% disobeyed)