8.1.7

Comparison of Free Will & Determinism

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The Psychodynamic Approach

There are five approaches to psychology: psychodynamic, biological, cognitive, behaviourist and humanistic. Mostly, they fall on the deterministic side. But some involve some free will.

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Freud

  • The psychodynamic approach is based on Freud’s work.
  • Freud believed that behaviour was guided by unconscious forces. In other words, these forces are determining behaviour.
  • This is called psychic determinism.
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Psychic determinism

  • For example, if someone forgot to go to their doctor’s appointment, they would think it was an accident.
  • Freud would interpret this action as the person actually, unconsciously, not wanting to go.
  • So the person had a behaviour (forgetting) based on a cause (not wanting to go).
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Conscious intention

  • Freud did also state that some behaviours were as a result of conscious intention.
  • An example of conscious intention would be a person choosing to go to therapy.

The Biological Approach and the Behaviourist Approach

The biological approach is a deterministic approach. The behaviourist approach is also deterministic.

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The biological approach

  • This approach summarises behaviour as being caused by biological influences.
    • Examples of biological influences would include: genetics, hormones, and structure.
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The biological approach and determinism

  • For example, schizophrenia has been explained by being caused by genetics and abnormalities in brain structures.
  • To be technically biologically deterministic, behaviours must be solely caused by biological influences.
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The behaviourist approach

  • The behaviourist approach is also deterministic.
  • Skinner stated that behaviour is based on environmental influences.
  • Behaviour is the result of encouraging behaviour through reinforcement or discouraging behaviour by punishing.
  • This concept is known as environmental determinism.
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Environmental determinism

  • Differences in behaviours amongst different people can be explained by them having gone through different environmental conditioning. They experience a different history of reinforcement of behaviours.
  • For example, siblings behave differently because of their parents treating them according to birth order.

The Cognitive Approach and The Humanistic Approach

The cognitive approach is a combination of free will and determinism. The humanistic approach is the only approach that is based more on free will.

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The cognitive approach - determinism

  • The cognitive approach is a combination of free will and determinism.
  • On the deterministic side, the brain receives external sensory information and processes this information.
  • The processing will lead to different behaviours.
  • In addition, people’s brain structure and cognitive ability can have genetic roots.
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The cognitive approach - free will

  • On the free will side, people can use cognitive reasoning to make decisions. People can make choices by thinking about them.
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The cognitive approach - both

  • Taken together, people are influenced by outside behaviours and their own brain structure (deterministic) but can impose reasoning on their thinking (free will).
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The humanistic approach

  • Finally, the humanistic approach is basically the only approach that is based more on free will.
  • Humanists believe that people can choose how to behave to achieve their full potential.
    • I.e. all individuals control their behaviour.

Jump to other topics

1Social Influence

2Memory

3Attachment

4Psychopathology

5Approaches in Psychology

6Biopsychology

7Research Methods

8Issues & Debates in Psychology (A2 only)

9Option 1: Relationships (A2 only)

10Option 1: Gender (A2 only)

11Option 1: Cognition & Development (A2 only)

12Option 2: Schizophrenia (A2 only)

13Option 2: Eating Behaviour (A2 only)

14Option 2: Stress (A2 only)

15Option 3: Aggression (A2 only)

16Option 3: Forensic Psychology (A2 only)

17Option 3: Addiction (A2 only)

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