Free will and determinism

Free will

Suggests that humans are self determining and free to choose their own thoughts and actions

A belief in free will does not deny the effects of biological and environmental forces on behaviour but nevertheless implies that we are able to reject these forces if we wish because we are in control of our thoughts/ behaviours

Free will is

The view of human behaviour advocated by the humanistic approach

Humanistic psychologists such as Carl Rogers believe that people are self determining and that this is important for mental health

Being able to actively make your own choices is fundamental to psychological well being

Therefore humanistic therapies focus on self direction by the client

However, some humanistic psychologists accept soft determinism using the concept of situated freedom

People are free to make choices but these choices are inevitably made within a specific context that determines what our actual choices are- the context also determines the meaning of our choices

Determinism

Proposed that free will has no place in explaining behaviour and there are soft and hard versions

Hard determinism is the view that all behaviour is caused by something (internal/ external factors) so free will is an illusion

Soft determinism is the view that behaviour may be predictable (caused by internal/ external factors) but there is also room for personal choice from a limited range of possibilities

Examples of determinism

Biological determinism is the belief that behaviour is shaped or caused by biological (genetic , hormonal or evolutionary) influences that we cannot control

Environmental determinism- the belief that behaviour is shaped or caused by features of the environment (such as systems of reward and punishment) that we cannot control

Psyhcic determinism- the belief that behaviour is shaped or caused by unconscious psychodynamic conflicts that we cannot control