free will and determinism

A01 (freewill)

people control their own behaviour

A01 (humanist psych example)

rogers and maslow > we make conscious, rational choices > linked to self determination

A01 (determinism)

all behaviour = caused by forces we can’t control > free will is an illusion

A01 (biological determinism)

behaviour = caused by genes + brain chemicals > e.g. SZ = high dopamine levels

A01 (environmental determinism)

behaviour = learned through experience > e.g. phobias from CC + OC

A01 (psychic determinism)

behaviour = shaped by unconscious forces > Freud > childhood experiences + inner conflicts control us

A03 (twin studies limits determinism)

identical twins = 100% same genes > only 80% similarity in IQ > 20% must be environment > genes can’t fully explain behaviour

A03 (legal system issues with determinism)

if all actions are caused can criminals blame their genes > e.g. stephen mobley said he was ‘born to kill’ > court rejected this > dangerous in law + society

A03 (criticism of free will)

skinner > free will is an illusion > just because we can decide does not mean we have free will > behaviour is environmentally determined

A03 (brain study support)

Libet > brain activity happened before we chose to move > brain decides > then we become aware > decisions are pre determined

A03 (soft determinism)

soft determinism = balanced view > some control over behaviour but not total freedom > explains how we feel free but are still influenced