Free will and Determinism

what is free will? (FW)

indv have the autonomy to make choices + ctrl their beh voluntarily

• humanistic psycholog (Carl R & Abraham M) believe hum have FW over their beh; emph pers growth, self-actual, and client-centred therapies which promote indv empowerm + responsib

what is determinism?

• our traits + beh governed by int/ext forces over which we have no ctrl

• relies on sci method

• by ctrling vari, C&E can be identified and beh can be predicted which is imp factor in determinism e.g. Skinner OC w rats + food rew

what are the 2 determinisms called?

hard and soft determinism

what is hard determinism?

• idea that our traits + beh are fully caused by ext/int forces & entirely out of indv ctrl

what are the 3 types of hard determinism?

biological

environmental

psychic

what is biological determinism? (hard)

traits + beh governed by internal biological factors

• e.g. biological appr: OCD + COMT gene mutations/schiz + dopamine

what is environmental determinism? (hard)

traits + beh governed by ext infl + experiences such as upbringing

• e.g. Beh appr - CC in Little Albert phobia study

what is psychic determinism? (hard)

• traits + beh governed by unconscious motive/desires & stem from early childh experiences. links betw beh + conflicts

• e.g. Psychodynamic appr - Freud’s psychosexual stages & unconscious drives, F theories on Oedipus/Electra complex where pen chewing = oral fixation, tidiness = anal fixation, rs probl = genital fixation

what is soft determinism?

• traits + beh are determined by int/ext forces, but we can still exercise some ctrl thru thought processes, decision making and conscious choice

• e.g SLT balances environm infl w cog proc amd cog appr claims we have free will to think, reason, and make choices but only within constraints of our cog systems such as schemas which based on our knowledge and experience and so deterministic