Free Will

Evaluation

Everyday we are constantly exercising free will through the choices we make and this gives validity to the concept of free will. Individuals with a internal locus of control tend to be more mentally healthy than those with an external locus of control; Roberts et al. (2000) demonstrated that adolescents with a strong belief in fatalism, the idea that their lives are decided by events outside of their control, were at more risk of developing depression. This shows that even if we do not have free will the belief that we do has a positive impact on us mentally. However, neurological studies of decision making have revealed evidence against free will. Brain activity that determines the outcome of simple choice may predate our knowledge of making a choice; researchers found that activity related to whether to press a button with the left or right hand occurs in the brain 10 seconds before the participant even reported being aware of making a conscious decision. This shows that even our most basic experiences of free will are determined by our brain before we are even aware of them.