Determinism vs Free Will

What does determinism mean?

• The argument that we do not have much control over our actions

• Our actions are controlled by factors such as biology and genes (biological determinism) or the way that we are brought up (environmental determinism)

What is free will?

The argument that we have the choice and freedom to act as we want at all times

What is soft determinism?

Behaviour is determined by internal or external factors but humans can exercise free will and reject influencing factors

What studies may be deterministic and why?

• Milgram

  • Authority figure caused obedience

  • 100% of p’s go to 300V

• Bocchiaro

  • Dutch man with stern demeanour causes obedience

  • 76.5% of p’s obey

• Pilliavin

  • Cane victim helped 100% of the time

• Lee

  • Chinese people view lying in prosocial situations more positively as they age

What studies fall on the free will side?

• Levine

  • In Rio, Brazil, 7% chose not to help despite Simpatia values

• Milgram

  • 35% of p’s stop before 450V

• Bocchiaro

  • 14.1% disobey and 9.4% whistleblow

• Pilliavin

  • 5% chose to not help the cane victim spontaneously

What are the strengths and weaknesses of determinism?

• Studies tend to be scientific as researchers have control

  • Increase validity- can establish cause and effect

• Determinism removes responsibility from people’s actions

  • Implications for the legal system

What are the strengths and weaknesses of free will?

• Recognises freedom of choice

  • People can be held accountable for their actions which is what our legal system is based on

• No predictability or patterns for behaviour

  • Reduces our ability to put effective interventions in place for behaviour