What is meant by free will in psychology?

Free will is the idea that human beings are able to choose their own thoughts and actions, and are not determined by internal or external forces beyond their control.

Define determinism as a philosophical position in psychology.

Determinism is the view that all behaviour has a cause and is therefore predictable, meaning free choice is an illusion.

What is hard determinism?

Hard determinism holds that all human behaviour is caused by factors beyond our control, leaving no room for free will whatsoever.

How does soft determinism differ from hard determinism in its view of human choice?

Soft determinism acknowledges that behaviour is constrained by external and internal factors but maintains that people still have some capacity for free choice within those constraints.

Why is soft determinism considered compatible with moral responsibility?

Because it accepts that individuals can exercise choice even if their options are limited, meaning people can still be held accountable for their decisions.

What is biological determinism?

Biological determinism is the belief that behaviour is caused by biological factors such as genes, neurochemistry, hormones and brain structure.

AQA A-Level Psychology 7182

Social Influence

Topic overview Types of conformity and explanations for conformity Conformity to social roles: Zimbardo's prison study Explanations for obedience Resistance to social influence Minority influence Social influence and social change

Memory

Topic overview The multi-store model of memory Types of long-term memory The working memory model Explanations for forgetting Factors affecting the accuracy of eyewitness testimony

Attachment

Topic overview Caregiver-infant interactions: reciprocity and interactional synchrony Schaffer's stages of attachment Multiple attachments and the role of the father Animal studies of attachment Explanations of attachment Ainsworth's Strange Situation and types of attachment Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation and effects of institutionalisation Influence of early attachment on relationships Cultural variations in attachment

Approaches in Psychology

Topic overview Origins of Psychology: Wundt, introspection and the emergence of Psychology as a science Learning approaches The cognitive approach The biological approach The psychodynamic approach Humanistic Psychology Comparison of approaches

Biopsychology

Topic overview Divisions of the nervous system Structure and function of neurons and synaptic transmission The endocrine system The fight or flight response Ways of studying the brain Localisation of function and hemispheric lateralisation Plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma Biological rhythms: circadian, infradian and ultradian

Clinical Psychology and Mental Health

Topic overview Definitions in the field of mental health Characteristics of phobias, depression and OCD Behavioural approach to explaining and treating phobias Cognitive approach to explaining and treating depression Biological approach to explaining and treating OCD

Research Methods

Topic overview Experimental method Observational techniques Self-report techniques Correlations Content analysis Case studies

Scientific Processes

Topic overview Aims and hypotheses Sampling Pilot studies Experimental designs Observational design Questionnaire construction and design of interviews Variables Control Demand characteristics and investigator effects Ethics Peer review Implications of psychological research for the economy Reliability Validity Features of science Reporting psychological investigations

Quantitative and Qualitative Data

Topic overview Quantitative and qualitative data; the distinction between qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques Primary and secondary data, including meta-analysis Descriptive statistics: measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion Presentation and display of quantitative data: graphs, tables, scattergrams, bar charts Distributions: normal and skewed distributions Introduction to statistical testing; the sign test

Data Handling and Analysis

Topic overview Primary and secondary data Descriptive statistics Presentation and display of quantitative data Distributions Analysis and interpretation of correlation Levels of measurement Coding in content analysis

Inferential Testing

Topic overview The sign test Probability and significance Factors affecting the choice of statistical test

Issues and Debates in Psychology

Topic overview Gender and culture in Psychology Free will and determinism The nature-nurture debate Holism and reductionism Idiographic and nomothetic approaches Ethical implications of research and social sensitivity

RelationshipsOption 1

Topic overview Factors affecting attraction in romantic relationships Evolutionary explanations for partner preferences Theories of romantic relationships Online relationships Parasocial relationships

GenderOption 1

Topic overview Sex, gender, sex-role stereotypes and androgyny Chromosomes and hormones in biological sex Cognitive explanations of gender development Psychodynamic explanation of gender development Social learning theory as applied to gender development Gender incongruence

Cognition and DevelopmentOption 1

Topic overview Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development Piaget's theory of cognitive development Baillargeon's explanation of early infant abilities The development of social cognition

SchizophreniaOption 2

Topic overview Symptoms of schizophrenia and issues in diagnosis Biological explanations for schizophrenia Psychological explanations for schizophrenia Drug therapy for schizophrenia Psychological therapies for schizophrenia The interactionist approach to schizophrenia

Eating BehaviourOption 2

Topic overview Explanations for food preferences Neural and hormonal mechanisms in eating behaviour Biological explanations for anorexia nervosa Psychological explanations for anorexia nervosa Biological explanations for obesity Psychological explanations for obesity

StressOption 2

Topic overview The physiology of stress The role of stress in illness Sources of stress Measuring stress Individual differences in stress Managing and coping with stress

AggressionOption 3

Topic overview Neural and hormonal mechanisms in aggression Genetic factors in aggression Ethological and evolutionary explanations of aggression Social psychological explanations of human aggression Institutional aggression in prisons Media influences on aggression

Forensic PsychologyOption 3

Topic overview Offender profiling Biological explanations of offending behaviour Psychological explanations of offending behaviour Dealing with offending behaviour

AddictionOption 3

Topic overview Describing addiction Risk factors in the development of addiction Reducing addiction Prochaska's six-stage model of behaviour change Theory of planned behaviour as applied to reducing addiction

Explanations for Nicotine AddictionOption 3

Topic overview Brain neurochemistry, including the role of dopamine Learning theory as applied to nicotine addiction, including reference to cue reactivity

Explanations for Gambling AddictionOption 3

Topic overview Learning theory as applied to gambling, including reference to partial and variable reinforcement Cognitive theory as applied to gambling, including reference to cognitive bias

Issues and Debates in Psychology

Free will and determinism

6 things to know
Paper 3

Overview

What free will claims, the distinction between hard and soft determinism, the three types of determinism, and the case for and against the determinist position.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Key term

What is meant by free will?

Key term

How does hard determinism differ from soft determinism?

Key term

What are the three main types of determinism?

Evaluation

Give a strength of the determinist position.

Evaluation

Give a limitation of hard determinism.

Evaluation

Why is the free will position criticised scientifically?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What is meant by free will in psychology?
Model answer
Free will is the idea that human beings are able to choose their own thoughts and actions, and are not determined by internal or external forces beyond their control.
2
Define determinism as a philosophical position in psychology.
Model answer
Determinism is the view that all behaviour has a cause and is therefore predictable, meaning free choice is an illusion.
3
What is hard determinism?
Model answer
Hard determinism holds that all human behaviour is caused by factors beyond our control, leaving no room for free will whatsoever.
4
How does soft determinism differ from hard determinism in its view of human choice?
Model answer
Soft determinism acknowledges that behaviour is constrained by external and internal factors but maintains that people still have some capacity for free choice within those constraints.
5
Why is soft determinism considered compatible with moral responsibility?
Model answer
Because it accepts that individuals can exercise choice even if their options are limited, meaning people can still be held accountable for their decisions.
6
What is biological determinism?
Model answer
Biological determinism is the belief that behaviour is caused by biological factors such as genes, neurochemistry, hormones and brain structure.

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Social Influence

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Approaches in Psychology

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