Free Will & Determinism (AQA A Level Psychology)

Jonny is 25 years old. He is a very anxious person. Colleagues tease him at work because he chews his pen all the time and spends hours tidying his desk. He finds it difficult to make friends and has never had a girlfriend. 

Use your knowledge of psychic determinism to explain Jonny’s behaviour.

Most early psychologists focused on causal explanations and argued that behaviour was determined by either internal or external influences. In the 1960s, some psychologists chose to focus more on the role of free will in behaviour.

More recently, there has been a broad shift back to more deterministic thinking, but this time with the focus on biology and cognitive processes.

Referring to the text above, explain what is meant by a paradigm shift.

A psychologist investigated the effect of the presence of a friend on mood. She used a controlled laboratory experiment. She asked a group of participants to rate their happiness on a scale.

In Condition 1 (Alone Condition), participants completed the scale after sitting alone in a room for 30 minutes.

In Condition 2 (Friend Condition), the same participants completed the same scale after sitting for 30 minutes in a room with a friend.

The conditions were counterbalanced.

The psychologist analysed the results of the study using a Wilcoxon test. The analysis showed that happiness ratings were significantly higher in the Friend Condition.

Explain two reasons why it was appropriate to use a Wilcoxon test in this situation. Refer to the description of the study in your answer.

The psychologist claimed to have demonstrated a causal explanation for happiness.

What is meant by a causal explanation? Explain why it was appropriate to claim that there was a causal explanation in this case.

Bob and Mike each have a daughter. Both girls are talented swimmers.

Bob says his daughter was destined to be a good swimmer because her grandfather was a great swimmer when he was young.

Mike says it was inevitable that his daughter would be a good swimmer because she was given lots of praise in swimming lessons when she was little.

Use your knowledge of determinism to explain Bob’s and Mike’s comments.

Dancho is a talented and famous musician. He was taught to play the piano by his father who was a concert pianist. From the age of four years Dancho attended a specialist music school where he spent many hours each day practising the piano.

In a recent TV interview Dancho said, ‘My earliest memories are of notes and melodies, so music is a part of me. To hear the applause in the concert hall is what I live for. Even if I wanted to stop playing, I could not.’

Discuss two or more types of determinism. Refer to the case of Dancho as part of your discussion.