Biological, environmental and psychic determinism
Determinism is the view that forces outside our control cause our behaviour. Psychologists disagree about whether those forces come from our biology, our environment, or our unconscious mind.
Real World
The Brunner et al. (1993) study found that males in a Dutch family with a gene mutation affecting MAOA enzyme levels displayed impulsive aggression, suggesting their violent behaviour was biologically determined rather than freely chosen.
Exam Focus
Name a specific example for each type of determinism — biological, environmental, and psychic — to access full AO1 marks.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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