Free will vs determinism

Free will definition AO1

• Believes we are masters of our own destiny

• Active agents who can make conscious choices over our behaviour'

• Self-determining

Free will topic link AO2

• Humanistic approach

• Rogers argued that individuals have an innate drive toward self-actualisation, meaning they can consciously decide how to grow and improve

• Maslow suggested that once basic needs are met, people are free to pursue higher psychological needs such as esteem and self-fulfilment

Determinism definition AO1

• Believes that all human behaviour is governed by internal & external forces which we have no control over

• Free will is an illusion

• Believes all behaviour has a cause & is thus predictable

• Hard determinism - behaviourist approach (all behaviour learnt via classical or operant conditioning)

Soft determinism AO1

• Accepts that behaviour is governed by external/internal forces by acknowledges free will to an extent

• Believes we have an element of choice over our behaviours

• Social learning theory - all behaviour learnt via modelling & imitating but the role of mediational processes plays a part

Biological determinism AO1

• Believes that behaviour is governed by internal forces such as genes, hormones, neurotransmitters & brain structures

• Eg dopamine hypothesis believes that sz is caused by increased levels of dopamine receptors

Environmental determinism AO1

• Believes that behaviour is governed by environmental experiences & learning

• Eg 2 process model of phobias - acquired via CC & maintained via OC

Psychic determinism AO1

• Believes that behaviour is governed by childhood experiences & innate drives eg id/superego & psychosexual stages of development

• Eg crime caused by an underdeveloped superego (forensics)

Scientific emphasis on causal explanations definition

• The scientific aim of establishing cause and effect relationships, determining that the IV causes changes in the DV

• Linked with deterministic approach

Free will AO3

• P - research evidence against free will

• E - Soon et al asked participants were to make a simple choice, such as pressing a button with their left or right hand, while their brain activity was recorded using fMRI. The researchers found that patterns of activity in the prefrontal cortex and parietal cortex could predict the participant’s decision up to 10 seconds before they reported being consciously aware of making it.

• T - This suggests that unconscious brain processes initiate decisions well before conscious awareness, implying that the experience of freely choosing is an illusion. If our brains determine our actions before we consciously decide, this directly challenges the concept of free will, supporting a deterministic view of human behaviour. Furthermore, it raises questions about moral responsibility, as even seemingly voluntary actions may be guided by neural mechanisms beyond conscious control.

Determinism AO3

• P - practical applications

• E - Biological determinism assumes that behaviour is caused by underlying neurochemical processes, such as excess dopamine activity. Research has consistently linked schizophrenia to dysregulated dopamine activity, which directly led to the development of antipsychotic medications designed to block dopamine receptors. Typical antipsychotics, such as chlorpromazine, reduce positive symptoms like hallucinations by limiting dopamine transmission, while atypical antipsychotics act on multiple neurotransmitters, improving both positive and negative symptoms. This demonstrates how identifying a deterministic cause allows psychologists to develop targeted, evidence-based treatments

• T - economic implications as sz can require repeated hospital admissions, long-term residential care, and extensive professional support, all of which place substantial strain on healthcare resources. Drug therapies help stabilise patients, significantly reducing relapse rates and shortening hospital stays, which lowers the overall cost to the NHS. Additionally, when symptoms are effectively managed, individuals are more likely to maintain employment, reducing the burden on companies to cover sick pay etc. Therefore, viewing behaviour as caused by biological mechanisms is not only theoretically valuable but also highly beneficial at a societal level, reinforcing the importance of deterministic explanations in psychology.

• P - ethical implications, particularly within the legal system

• E - Hard determinism proposes that all behaviour is the result of internal or external forces beyond an individual’s control. If this view is accepted, it challenges the notion of personal responsibility, which underpins modern justice systems. For example, if a violent offender’s behaviour can be traced to abnormal brain function or childhood trauma, it becomes difficult to justify punishment on moral grounds because their actions may not have been a freely made choice. This element of determinism could be inappropriately used and abused as a defence. This raises important questions about whether criminals should be punished for their behaviour or instead treated and rehabilitated

• T - creates significant ethical tension by challenging the fundamental belief that individuals should be held responsible for their actions. This undermines the integrity of the legal system & its very principles that it’s based on.

Compromise AO3

• P - While the free will vs determinism debate often presents opposing extremes, many psychologists adopt a compromise position that recognises both choice and constraint

• E - Interactionism proposes that behaviour is shaped by a combination of internal factors and external influences. For example, a person may have a genetic predisposition toward aggression (deterministic), but they can choose how to respond in a particular situation (free will). Similarly, Bandura’s concept of reciprocal determinism illustrates that behaviour is the result of a continuous interaction between personal factors, the environment, and behaviour itself. This suggests that while we are influenced by biological or environmental causes, we also actively shape our circumstances, demonstrating that free will and determinism can coexist.

• T - Such perspectives are more realistic because they account for the complexity of human behaviour, avoiding the extreme positions of pure hard determinism or absolute free will