Free Will and Determinism

Free will recognises cause and effect in behaviour and the influence of factors such as the environment, but argues that we ourselves direct our behaviour through our will so that we make choices and our behaviour is voluntary.

Humanistic psychologists support this perspective.

Determinism is the belief that cause and effect rule the day.

Our behaviour is determined by our previous experience, our genetic make up, and the environment, and we don't really choose our actions.

The extent to which behaviour is determined can be expressed in two ways:
- Hard determinism.
- Soft determinism.

Hard determinism is the theory that human behaviour and actions are wholly determined by internal or external factors, and therefore humans do not have genuine free will or ethical accountability.

Behaviourists support this perspective.

Soft determinism is the theory that there are constraints on our behaviour, but within these limitations, we are free to make some choices.

Cognitive psychologists support this perspective.

There are different types of determinism:
- Biological.
- Environmental.
- Psychic.

Biological determinism focuses on the influence of genes, hormones, and neurotransmitters on behaviour.

For example, someone is aggressive because they have an excess of testosterone in their body, which has been genetically determined (their father may also have been aggressive).

Environmental determinism believes that behaviour is shaped by learning - being rewarded and punished by certain behaviours, associating stimuli with response, and so on.

For example, someone has a phobia of dogs because they were knocked over by a dog as a child, and have avoided dogs ever since, never un-learning the association.

Psychic determinism believes that behaviour is shaped by unconscious conflicts and forces we are not aware of, so even if our decisions seem like they are due to free will, this is just an illusion.

To establish the influences on behaviour, psychologists attempt to use the scientific method, by controlling all extraneous and confounding variables as far as possible to ascertain that the IV has affected the DV (result).

+ Determinism lends itself to using the scientific method, increasing the credibility of psychology and allowing predictions to be tested. As a result, treatments for conditions such as schizophrenia have been successfully developed.

- The deterministic approach has implications for criminal responsibility, suggesting that offenders can't be blamed for their crimes. This is unacceptable to most people, and does not reflect how the legal system operates.

+ Free will has face validity, meaning that, on the face of it, it seems like an accurate concept. Even thinking we have free will may have a positive impact on behaviour.

- Soon et al (2008) found that the brain is active even before being consciously aware of making a decision, suggesting that free will may actually not exist.