Free Will
- Unlike determinism, there is only one ‘type’ of free will as this concept does not exist as a theory, more it is the idea that human beings are self-determining beings who are able to exercise control over their behaviour and that choice is a key part of this
- There is only one approach that truly encompassess free will: the humanistic approach
- The humanistic approach sees the individual at the heart of their own destiny, actively making decisions, shaping their life rather than allowing external forces to shape it for them
- Key components of the humanistic approach that exemplify free will are: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs; Roger’s client-centred therapy; unconditional positive regard; self-actualisation
Malslow’s hierarchy of needs: the individual can exercise free will to ascend to the peak of self-actualisation
Arguments in support of free will:
- Free will could be argued to be one of the most valuable assets an individual can have i.e. people living in dictatorships are not able to fully exercise their free will and this is sure to impact negatively on their well-being and sense of self
- The humanistic approach is the only approach that is holistic in that it considers the whole person within real contexts, giving it high validity as a theory
Arguments against free will:
- The concept of free will remains a little vague and is difficult to test
- The concept of free will may be incompatible with certain cultures who place an emphasis and value on community and duty rather than on indvidualism
Exam Tip
If you are asked to compare two approaches in an exam question it is always a good idea to compare two very different approaches. By comparing the humanistic approach to the behaviourist approach you can use the determinism-free will debate to its full extent as these two approaches represent each side of the debate and are thus diametrically opposed, giving you a lot of scope for AO3 evaluation.
