AQA A-LEVEL: Issues and Debates - Free Will and Determinism
FREE WILL AND DETERMINISM Whether behaviour is influenced by forces beyond our control or we have personal control FREE WILL Assumes individuals have an active role in controlling their behaviour and aren't controlled by bio or external factors Humanistic approach suggests we have free will to control our own behaviour regardless of external and internal pressures and we're able to work towards self-actualisation DETERMINISM Behaviour is shaped by external or internal factors rather than free will INTERNAL FORCES Biofactors e.g. genes, NT, brain damage Innate behavioural tendencies (as discussed by Freud) Faulty thinking patterns (as discussed by cognitive approach) EXTERNAL FORCES Learnt associations Stimulus-response links (behaviourism) Imitating role models (SLT) HARD DETERMINISM Suggests all behaviour has a cause and that it's possible to identify and describe these factors. This approach is scientific as it can establish universa...