Issues & Debates
, LT1
Free Will and Determinism
FREE WILL DETERMINISM
- Self determining and free to choose our own thoughts → Individual’s traits and behaviours are shaped and controlled by internal or external forces
and actions rather than an individual’s will to do something → controlled
- Does not deny that there are biological or
environmental factors that exert some influence but BIOLOGICAL DETERMINISM
implies we are able to reject them as masters of our own → behaviour is caused by internal biological factors or influences we cannot control e.g.
destiny genes, hormones, brain structure or neurochemistry
- Personal responsibility which fits in with our legal E.g. biological approach, sz - neural correlates, dopamine, candidate genes, family
system - holding people accountable twin studies, psychopathology - OCD, biopsychology
E.g. humanistic approach - personal agency - Modern biopsychologists recognise the mediating influence of the
environment on our biological structures which means we are boubly
determined in the ways we are controlled
HARD DETERMINISM
→ free will is not possible and behaviour is always caused by
internal/ external events, caused by coercion and referred to as ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINISM
fatalism which suggests all behaviour has a cause = compatible with → behaviour is caused by external features of the environment that we cannot control e.g.
science our parents, peers, upbringing, social experiences (socialisation, reinforcement, role
SOFT DETERMINISM models)
→ behaviour has causes but can be determined by our conscious E.g. behaviourist approach - skinner described free will as an illusion and all
choices in the absences of coercion e.g. cognitive approach, room for behaviour is due to conditioning, sz- family dysfunction, psychopathology - two
maneuver process model
- William James - job of scientists to explain determining - Choice is the sum of total reinforcement contingencies throughout life
forces but does not detract from the freedom we have to - Behaviour shaped by environmental events as well as agents of socialisation
make rational decisions e.g. parents, teachers, religion
- Middle ground e.g. being poor does not make you steal
but can make you more likely to due to desperation PSYCHIC DETERMINISM
→ behaviour is caused by unconscious conflicts, fears and desires we cannot control
E.g. Psychodynamic approach, forensic - psycho explanation
- Human behaviour is controlled by the unconscious instincts which cause
experiences in childhood to be repressed
- Adult behaviour determined by childhood e.g. tidying
- No such thing as an accident - all in the unconscious
, LT1
Free Will and Determinism
FREE WILL DETERMINISM
- Self determining and free to choose our own thoughts → Individual’s traits and behaviours are shaped and controlled by internal or external forces
and actions rather than an individual’s will to do something → controlled
- Does not deny that there are biological or
environmental factors that exert some influence but BIOLOGICAL DETERMINISM
implies we are able to reject them as masters of our own → behaviour is caused by internal biological factors or influences we cannot control e.g.
destiny genes, hormones, brain structure or neurochemistry
- Personal responsibility which fits in with our legal E.g. biological approach, sz - neural correlates, dopamine, candidate genes, family
system - holding people accountable twin studies, psychopathology - OCD, biopsychology
E.g. humanistic approach - personal agency - Modern biopsychologists recognise the mediating influence of the
environment on our biological structures which means we are boubly
determined in the ways we are controlled
HARD DETERMINISM
→ free will is not possible and behaviour is always caused by
internal/ external events, caused by coercion and referred to as ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINISM
fatalism which suggests all behaviour has a cause = compatible with → behaviour is caused by external features of the environment that we cannot control e.g.
science our parents, peers, upbringing, social experiences (socialisation, reinforcement, role
SOFT DETERMINISM models)
→ behaviour has causes but can be determined by our conscious E.g. behaviourist approach - skinner described free will as an illusion and all
choices in the absences of coercion e.g. cognitive approach, room for behaviour is due to conditioning, sz- family dysfunction, psychopathology - two
maneuver process model
- William James - job of scientists to explain determining - Choice is the sum of total reinforcement contingencies throughout life
forces but does not detract from the freedom we have to - Behaviour shaped by environmental events as well as agents of socialisation
make rational decisions e.g. parents, teachers, religion
- Middle ground e.g. being poor does not make you steal
but can make you more likely to due to desperation PSYCHIC DETERMINISM
→ behaviour is caused by unconscious conflicts, fears and desires we cannot control
E.g. Psychodynamic approach, forensic - psycho explanation
- Human behaviour is controlled by the unconscious instincts which cause
experiences in childhood to be repressed
- Adult behaviour determined by childhood e.g. tidying
- No such thing as an accident - all in the unconscious
