determinism

(noun)

The doctrine that all actions are determined by the current state and immutable laws of the universe, with no possibility of choice.

Related Terms

  • classical conditioning
  • free association
  • operant conditioning

Examples of determinism in the following topics:

  • The Influence of Genes on Behavior

    • While genes do not determine behavior, they play a huge role in what we do and why we do it.
    • However, while the genetic makeup of a child determines the age range for when he or she will begin walking, environmental influences determine how early or late within that range the event will actually occur.
    • Classical, or Mendelian, genetics examines how genes are passed from one generation to the next, as well as how the presence or absence of a gene can be determined via sexual reproduction.
  • Chromosomes and Genes

    • DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, determines whether our eyes are blue or brown, how tall we will be, and even our preference for certain types of behavior.
    • Genetic counseling is available for families in order to determine if any abnormalities exist that may be passed along to offspring.
    • By studying chromosomes and genes, scientists are able to determine the genetic basis for many diseases.
  • Genetics, the Brain, and Personality

    • In psychology, "temperament" refers to the personality tendencies that we show at birth (and that are therefore biologically determined).
    • While identical twins may have some similar personality traits, however, they still have distinct personalities, suggesting that genetics are not the only factor in determining personality.
    • These findings suggest that heredity and environment interact to determine an individual's personality.
    • How DNA interacts with the environment determines what part of the DNA code is actually activated within an individual—in other words, which genes will be expressed.
    • The expression of inherited genes plays a role in determining personality.
  • Defining Personality

    • A great deal of modern personality psychology is influenced by, and attempts to answer, the following five philosophical questions about what really determines personality:
    • Freedom versus determinism: How much, if any, of an individual's personality is under their conscious control?
    • Heredity versus environment: Do internal (biological) or external (environmental) influences play a larger role in determining personality?
    • Social learning theory believes that personality and behavior are determined by an individual's cognition about the world around them.
    • Humanistic theory argues that an individual's subjective free will is the most important determinant of behavior.
  • Bandura's and Rotter's Social-Cognitive Theories of Personality

    • In contrast to Skinner’s idea that the environment alone determines behavior, Bandura (1990) proposed the concept of reciprocal determinism, in which cognitive processes, behavior, and context all interact, each factor simultaneously influencing and being influenced by the others.
    • Rotter expanded upon Bandura's ideas of reciprocal determinism, and he developed the term locus of control to describe how individuals view their relationship to the environment.
    • Locus of control can be classified along a spectrum from internal to external; where an individual falls along the spectrum determines the extent to which they believe they can affect the events around them.
    • Bandura proposed the idea of reciprocal determinism, in which our behavior, cognitive processes, and situational context all influence each other.
  • Defining Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

    • Sex refers to biological characteristics, while gender is socially determined based on those characteristics.
    • In humans, the biological sex of a child is determined at birth based on several factors, including chromosomes, gonads, hormones, internal reproductive anatomy, and genitalia.
    • A person's sex, as determined by his or her biology, does not always correspond with their gender; therefore, the terms "sex" and "gender" are not interchangeable.
    • The standard model of the difference between sex and gender says that one's sex is biologically determined (meaning that when a child is born, doctors classify the child as a particular sex depending on anatomy), while one's gender is socially or culturally determined (meaning that the way in which that child is raised, socialized, and taught determines whether they take on masculine or feminine traits).
  • The Biopsychosocial Model of Health and Illness

    • The biopsychosocial model states that health and illness are determined by a dynamic interaction between biological, psychological, and social factors.
    • Engel that states that interactions between biological, psychological, and social factors determine the cause, manifestation, and outcome of wellness and disease.
    • The biopsychosocial model argues that any one factor is not sufficient; it is the interplay between people's genetic makeup (biology), mental health and behavior (psychology), and social and cultural context that determine the course of their health-related outcomes.
    • This diagram shows how biological, psychological, and sociological factors overlap to determine overall health.
  • The Role of Genes in Prenatal Development

    • Chromosomes are genetic material that determines many things about a person, such as eye and hair color, biological sex, and personality traits.
    • The first 22 pairs of chromosomes are known as autosomes and determine things such as eye and hair color.
    • The last pair, known as the sex chromosomes, determine a person's biological sex: females have two X chromosomes, while males have an X and a Y chromosome.
    • Among other things, it is the process in which a cell determines which genes it will express and when.
    • The exact extent to which genes, as opposed to an individual's environment, determine or influence psychological development is hotly debated; this controversy is known as the "nature-vs.
  • Perceiving Depth, Distance, and Size

    • Monocular vision is poor at determining depth.
    • Size and distance of objects are also determined in relation to each other.
    • This is useful when you cross the street: as you watch a car come toward you, your brain uses the change in size projected on your retina to determine how far away it is.
  • Criticisms of the Social-Cognitive Pespective on Personality

    • Critics of social-cognitive theory argue that the theory does not provide a full explanation of how social cognition, behavior, environment, and personality are related (known as "reciprocal determinism").
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