Free will & determinism

What is free will?

The idea that human beings have freedom & choice in how they behave & have full control over their thoughts & behaviour

What did Skinner claim free will was?

An illusion

Determinism believes that behaviour is shaped or controlled by what two types of forces?

Internal & external

What is the most extreme view of determinism called?

Hard determinism

Which group of psychologists are associated with hard determinism?

Radical behaviourists

What is hard determinism?

A view that states that all human behaviour is predictable & able to be scientifically analysed, as it is possible to identify the cause of all behaviour

In what way is soft determinism different to hard determinism?

• Soft determinism believes that behaviour is caused by conscious mental life rather than external, environmental situations

• It recognises the importance of subjective experience & includes an element of free will due to our awareness of thoughts & ability to choose courses of action

What are the three types of determinism?

• Biological

• Psychic

• Environmental

What is biological determinism?

• The view that all behaviour & thought is controlled by the action of the nervous & hormonal system, different parts of the brain, evolutionary forces & genes

• No matter how much we try & exert free will, we cannot change these forces

True or false: biological determinism links to internal determinism?

True

With which approach in psychology would you relate psychic determinism?

Psychodynamic

What is psychic determinism?

The belief that all human behaviour is caused by unconscious forces associated with life & death instincts

Freud regarded all behaviour as being over-determined. What does this mean?

The belief that a single behaviour has multiple causes & to understand the behaviour, the numerous causes need to be identified

What is environmental determinism?

The belief that all behaviour is caused by environmental stimuli → specifically, it is the product of two factors in the external environment: prior reinforcement (positive & negative) & punishment

With what other type of determinism would you relate environmental determinism?

External determinism

With what approach would you relate environmental determinism?

Behaviourism

Discuss free will and determinism. Refer to at least two topics you have studied in your answer (16 marks)

Write your AO1 paragraph

• Free will is the idea that people have freedom & choice over their behaviour, thoughts & actions. This is seen in the humanistic approach, where Rogers’ concept of the self & Maslow’s hierarchy of needs suggests that individuals actively strive towards self-actualisation through conscious decision-making. However, Skinner argued that free will is an illusion.

• Determinism is the view that behaviour is controlled by internal or external forces. Hard determinism argues all behaviour is predictable & can be scientifically explained through cause & effect. Soft determinism includes an element of free will, suggesting behaviour is still influenced by causes but also includes conscious thought & subjective experience.

• There are 3 types of determinism: biological (behaviour is determined by genes, brain structure, hormones & evolution), psychic (Freud’s psychodynamic theory: behaviour is determined by the unconscious mind) & environmental (behaviour is determined through reinforcement & punishment).

Discuss free will and determinism. Refer to at least two topics you have studied in your answer (16 marks)

Write your AO3 strength PEEL (real world applications)

• Point: One strength of biological determinism is that it is consistent with the aims of science & has real world applications.

• Evidence: For example, searching for causal explanations has led to the development of therapies, treatments & behavioural interventions.

• Explain: This has resulted in antipsychotics (e.g. Clozapine & Chlorpromazine) as a drug therapy to help manage schizophrenic symptoms (e.g. delusions & hallucinations).

• Link: Therefore, determinism is valuable as it supports scientific investigation into the causes of behaviour, allowing psychologists to develop effective treatments for mental disorders.

Discuss free will and determinism. Refer to at least two topics you have studied in your answer (16 marks)

Write your AO3 limitation PEEL (British legal system)

• Point: One limitation of determinism is that it is not consistent with the way in which the British legal system operates.

• Evidence: For example, in a court of law, offenders are held morally accountable & responsible for their actions.

• Explain: However, the belief that behaviour is determined by forces outside a person’s control may provide an excuse for criminality (e.g. Stephen Mobley argued he was ‘born to kill’ after killing a pizza shop manager, as his family had a pre-disposition towards violence & aggression).

• Link: As such, a hard determinist view may be disadvantageous as it may allow offenders to mitigate their own liability & intent (mens rea).

Discuss free will and determinism. Refer to at least two topics you have studied in your answer (16 marks)

Write your AO3 limitation PEEL (interactionist approach)

• Point: The best compromise in the free will vs determinism debate is to take an interactionist approach, rather than view them as mutually exclusive.

• Evidence: For example, Bandura argued that while environmental factors (e.g. role models) strongly influence learning, individuals still possess free will, through mediating cognitive factors (e.g. motivation).

• Explain: This suggests that the psychological approaches that include a cognitive element (social learning theory & the cognitive approach) reflect a soft determinist view, acknowledging environmental influences & personal choice.

• Link: Therefore, the interactionist approach provides a more realistic understanding of human behaviour, bridging the gap between hard determinism & free will.