Free will vs determinism

Approaches ranked from most free will, to most determinist

Free will:

humanistic - self-determining

Soft determinism:

social learning thoery → mediational processes, like motivation - need free will

cognitive approach →within the schema, still free will limited within cognitve abilities

psychodynamic approach

Hard determinism:

behaviourist approach → environmental determinism

biological approach

Free will:

Idea that humans can make choices, and behaviour is not determined by internal/external factors.

Hard determinism:

also known as fatalism

view that all behaviour is determined by internal or external forces, so free will is an illusion. All behaviour has a cause

Soft determinism:

Behaviour may be caused by internal/external forces, but there is free will, though restricted. Put forward by Philospher James (1890)

Biological determinism:

Belief that behaviour is caused by bio causes we cannot control, like the influence of genes on mental health

Psychic determinism:

Belief that behaviour is caused by unconscious psychodynamic forces we cannot control, repressed in childhood → developed by Freud

Environmental determinism:

Belief that behaviour is caused by environmental features. Skinner argued that all behaviour is the result of conditioning.

Link between determinism and psych as a science:

• basic principle of science is that events have a cause and effect

• in labs, researchers try to eliminate all EVs to allow cause and effect

• from this, we can make deterministic conclusions → this is desirable in science as it determines influencing factors, and eliminates EVs → increased predictive validity.

Implications of if behaviour is determined:

• genetically: can lead to empirical testing, trace disorders easier, changes in justice system

• environmentally: changes in justice system, govs may do more for environment, as if you cannot leave it

• takes away accountability → is it right to punish?

• people cannot change → no point in rehabilitation → self-fulfilling prophecy

Implications of if we have free will:

• ignores things people cannot change

• gives motivation for change → too much responsibility?

Libet et al (1983):

• found unconscious activity in brain moves ½ second before conscious moves and is aware of a decision

• If we are unaware of decisionsm can we exert free will?

• Assumes our unconscious and conscious processes are not both a part of ‘us’.

• Not all processes are conscious, so we may have less free will than we perceive. This does not negate free will entirely → soft determinism

Roberts et al (2000):

• looked at adolescents who had a strong belief in fatalism over free will

• found adolescents with a strong fatalism belief were assosciated with depressin, suggesting importance of free will

• does not actually support fw existing, but more our perception of free will existing being imporatn

• demonstrates importance of our beliefs, regardless of reality; may have implications for depression treatment.