The principle of determinism in psychology and its historical development

What is indeterminism

The principle of determinism assumes that a person cannot choose the direction in life and is not responsible for it. Everything that happens is predetermined in advance; it is impossible to change the course of events.

There is also a theory opposite to determination. In psychology, the concept of indeterminism denies the connection between a cause and subsequent events. It is believed that everything that happens is subject to chance and is probabilistic in nature.

Indeterminism is often associated with free will. The individual is given the opportunity to act, choosing those methods of activity that he considers most effective to achieve the desired result. In simple words, indeterminism denies inevitability and fatality, gives faith in the possibility of being the master of your life, regardless of external influences.

The principle of determinism in psychology

Determinism in psychology became a continuation of the philosophical theory about the interconnection of phenomena. He views cause as a set of circumstances that precede and cause the effect.

According to many scientists, the theory of determinism is equally valid for people and animals. A series of experiments on rats showed a direct relationship between the level of mental development of animals and their adaptive ability. The more active rats survived and gave birth to offspring.

Experiments with British student volunteers also monitored their reactions to changes in the organization of the educational process. According to the results of the experiments, it turned out that the highest scores were received by those students who could quickly react and change their behavior in accordance with the situation. For these “lucky” people, circumstances turned out well in most cases. This confirms the theory that the psyche develops and changes, but behavioral reactions depend on external factors.

Theory, briefly

The basis of the psychological approach lies in the philosophical theory according to which there is a universal relationship and interdependence between the phenomena of the surrounding reality.

The first aspects of determinism were formulated by the ancient Greek atomistic materialists.

The principle was then considered by representatives of the classical school of philosophy.

In the 17th century, the presence of causality in all phenomena in society was determined. With the development of science comes the understanding that any event or phenomenon is a pattern of some causes .

Currently, the theory is actively used to explain the development and functioning of various phenomena.

In the social sciences, the approach allows one to analyze the patterns of social development, the degree of influence of social norms and principles on human behavior.

In special sciences, the principle is used to designate constant connections in various processes, mechanisms, equations, etc. That is, processes or mechanisms that can be described and predicted in a strictly unambiguous manner are deterministic.

The presence of the aspect of probability, variability, instability indicates the action of the opposite principle, indeterminism (the absence of patterns and dependencies in nature, in society).

Evolution of the principle

For a long time, psychological determinism relied on mechanical determinism. Mental phenomena were considered as a semblance of the interaction of mechanisms (machines). This view was limited; it considered mental phenomena only as a result of external influence. Based on this vision of determinism, the doctrines of reflex, affect, associations and others arose.

From a different point of view, determinism was considered by I. Sechenov, F. Donders, G. Helmholtz. They believed that mental reactions caused by external influences on the body are not formed according to physical and biological laws, but act as special regulators of behavior.

Modern determinism has adopted much from the philosophical theory of dialectical materialism. The principle of determinism in relation to the human psyche, in accordance with it, sounds like this: “By making changes in the real world, which does not depend on consciousness, a person changes himself.” Simply put, thanks to human activity, external (spiritual, material) products and internal (essential) forces arise.

Unique determinism

This concept is not so much philosophical as it relates to physics and mechanics. Unambiguous determinism is the foundation of these areas of science. This concept denotes the influence of certain external factors and conditions on the initial state of the material system. This influence is rigid, unambiguous, it decides the further history of the existence of the material system. If something happens by chance, adherents of this trend argued, it is not a studied phenomenon - there is no chance as such.

One can successfully illustrate unambiguous determinism using the example of Newton’s 2nd law

Also, the representation of the field in electrodynamics (Maxwell) led to an important conclusion - the state of the field in the present time does not depend on the surrounding situation at a distance. The law of short-range action works here - the field is influenced by the conditions that have developed in its vicinity

The principle of unambiguous influence of causes is also visible in other theories of physics:

• mass (weight of an object) depends on the speed of movement;
• the passage of time and the curvature of space depend on the distribution of masses;
• the power of the gravitational field clearly affects the course of various processes;
• the movement of masses in space affects gravity.

In all these examples, the theory of unambiguous determination in philosophy works. But our world is multifaceted, not all processes strictly depend on each other. There are circumstances in which there is no clear relationship between processes and objects.

Categories of determinism

Determinism in its modern interpretation considers all mental phenomena from the point of view of cause-and-effect relationships. All phenomena, like a chain, follow one another and influence each other. On the basis of this, the categories of the theory of determinism arise.

Read more: The Butterfly Effect - the swing that changes everything

The reasons for our actions

A person cannot exist outside the environment, outside the context. In the process of its formation, it actively interacts with the environment, society, and culture. He, as a person, influences all this, but the environment also influences him.

Even as an adult, you are constantly changing under the influence of many environmental factors. Moreover, this has been proven even at the physiological level. By reading this article, your brain changes, new neural connections are formed in it. And if your brain changes, then you yourself change and, as a result, your actions and the decisions you make change.

For every change that happens in you, there is a reason.

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Determinism is shared by:

• biological – related to survival;
• social – influence of other people;
• personality activity - we influence reality, and it influences us;
• self-determinism - we are able to influence ourselves.

The latter is important when considering determinism and free will.

Types of determinism

The concept of determinism is used not only in psychology, but also in other branches of science. Depending on the sphere, the following types of determinism are distinguished:

• historical - its basis is the principle of certainty, which considers the possibility of predicting events based on existing prerequisites and the role of specific people, determined by their goals and actions;
• biological - considers behavior as a manifestation of genetic prerequisites;
• technological - the development of human society is predetermined by technical progress;
• materialistic - human living conditions depend on the level of material production.
• theological - all human actions are interpreted as the will of God;
• mutual - human functioning is ensured through the interaction of personal characteristics, behavior and environmental factors.

Psychological determinism considers mental phenomena as the result of the influence of cultural and social factors.

There are other forms of determinism.

4) Mental determinism.

At the turn of the 20th century, it was discovered that the realities captured in psychological categories can not only be explained by the action of natural or social factors, but also have an active determinative influence on the life of the organism, and in a person, on his social connections. The content of the categories of psychological thinking acquired the meaning of special determinants. The system of these categories appeared in methodological terms as a form of determinism, different from all its other forms. It was mental determinism. With his statement, no one could dispute the dignity of psychology as an independent science.

The first major successes on the path of transition from biological to psychological determinism were associated with the development of the categories of image, action, and motive.

In foreign psychology, the problem is discussed as a problem of determination and free will. The relationship between determinism and free will has been discussed by many creators of personality theories. Suffice it to recall the names of A. Maslow, K. Rogers, J. Kelly, L. Festinger. In our psychology, this problem began to be studied by L.I. Bozhovich and her colleagues: M.S. Neimark, E.I. Savonko, T.I. Yufereva, etc. The basis for free action, according to L.I. Bozovic, is an internal position in which motivational, emotional and reflexive components appear in unity.

Cultural-historical psychology introduced the idea of ​​sign mediation into ideas about causality.

S.L. Rubinstein:

By their very nature, mental phenomena are included in the causal relationship of existence both as conditioned by the action of living conditions and as conditioning, performing a regulatory function in relation to the action. The causal series covers the entire continuum of being-consciousness, causality is given by universal determination.

The problem of free will:

• self-determination as internal in the determination of behavior
• freedom of the individual in society.
• freedom of consciousness control over the elements of desires

A situation always also goes beyond its limits (it contains something that will be filled by a person)

The total effect of multiple causes through internal conditions is not additive.

Feedback phenomenon.

Procedural reason:

objects changing themselves over time.

A.N. Leontyev:

The category of activity is not so much an explanatory principle as it is the space of life within which the cause-and-effect relationships of the interdependence “activity - consciousness - activity” are realized.

These theories proceeded from the fact that the uniqueness of life radically changed the general structure of the mental organization of people, asserting over them the power of completely special determinants, different from both physical stimuli and nerve impulses.

The role of determinants was played by the forms of their social existence, their culture, which were as objective as these stimuli, but generated not by nature, but by the people themselves interacting with each other. Philosophical ideas about the social essence of man, his connections with the historically developing life of the people received concrete scientific embodiment in various fields of knowledge in the 19th century. The need of philology, ethnography, history and other social disciplines to determine the factors on which the formation of cultural products depends prompted us to turn to the field of the psyche.

6) Microsocial determinism.

Many psychological schools have addressed this interpersonal level of determinative relationships. Z. Freud looked for the source of mental trauma in the child’s communication with his parents. The leader of the latest version of behaviorism, B. Skinner, explained verbal behavior by reinforcement of verbal reactions on the part of the interlocutor. K. Lewin put the “locomotion” of an individual depending on the “social field.” Group action and cooperation entered psychology as new determinants. This led to new turns in the development of the ideology of mental determinism. Social experience, communication, objective interaction of individuals is taken as the initial one, the effect of which is its subjective projection. This view became the starting point for a new form of mental determinism as a mechanism for transforming social relations and actions into intrapsychic ones.

Deterministic approach

It recognizes the interrelationship between events occurring in a person’s life and specific causes. The approach based on cause-and-effect relationships is actively used in modern science.

Since the middle of the last century, the use of a deterministic approach has become unstoppable. Scientists began to use it in mathematics, quantum physics, genetics and biology, and information theory. In their works, scientists focused on the important role of the concepts of possibility, probability, uncertainty, and expediency for describing natural and social phenomena.

Determinism and free will

The relationship between these two concepts is the central problem of this principle.

The principle of determinism, in its essence, denies any free will at all. Our psyche, our actions, even our way of thinking are all the result of certain conditions. Determinism denies spontaneity.

The goals that a person sets and his actions are the result of the influence of the motive, internal or external, that dominates at a given moment in time. But at the same time, all these motives are also the result of something - experience, upbringing, role models, values ​​and attitudes that we received from the society in which we live, parents, idols and authorities.

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This approach largely relieves us of responsibility for our lives. We often take advantage of this, finding excuses that we are not to blame for anything and begin to blame our parents, others, authorities, fate and much more for our failures. This perception borders on fatalism and, as it were, gives permission to do nothing, not make efforts, not strive for self-development.

However, this is also an ambiguous statement, because many representatives of humanitarian psychology argue that we have a need for self-actualization and self-development. Therefore, everyone decides for himself - he influences his life or life influences him.

Application of determinism in practice

Determinism is a basic approach that explains mental phenomena and the principle of functioning of the psyche.

The theory of Lev Semenovich Vygotsky well illustrates the application of the principle of determinism in psychology. She considers the social environment as the main source of human development. In the first years of life, the formation of a child’s personality is influenced not only by the processes of maturation of brain structures and the development of the whole organism, but also by cultural factors that shape behavior and thinking. According to the scientist, the physiological development and formation of a child’s thinking ability occurs in parallel with the influence of cultural and social factors. The source of development for the child is social interaction and dialogue with parents or other adults.

About the complex in simple words

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The principle of determinism is also called the principle of conditionality, which, if greatly simplified, can be expressed as follows: every event has its own causes.

Yes, perhaps this is too simple a definition, but before complicating something, talking about its versatility, inconsistency and controversy, you need to understand the essence, but it is simple.

For example, a child put his finger to the fire and got burned. The cause of his burn was fire. Why did he put his finger to the fire? Because mom said not to do it. The reason for my mother’s behavior is clear; she was thinking about the safety of her child.

What is the reason for the child's behavior? Does it exist at all? The principle of determinism states that there is. Everything happens for a reason. Each of our actions, each right or wrong decision, each of our feelings and even each of our desires.

The principle of determinism is used everywhere, from philosophy to quantum mechanics, but it is in psychology that it is one of the most important. Because it is difficult to deny this principle. Imagine the situation. Big smart “uncle psychologists” will see a child who, contrary to his mother’s words, climbed towards the fire. If they deny the principle of determinism, they will say that this action has no reason. Then all of psychology, as a science, can be closed indefinitely.

Determinism vs. Free Will

Because indeterminism is the denial that everything we do has a cause, this is some kind of Brownian motion, chaos, unpredictability and unsystematicness. And nothing can be predicted, just as the reasons for what is happening cannot be understood.

However, the principle of determinism says the opposite - there is always a reason.

Therefore, smart “uncles” and “aunties” psychologists do not fail in the face of a stubborn child who acts illogically, contrary to the mother’s words, and puts his finger on the fire. And the reasons may be simple:

• curiosity - mom said it’s impossible, but what will happen if I do this;
• reality testing - how will mom react when I do this;
• protest - mom is “bad” and suppresses my independence and free will.

There can be many reasons, but the essence of determinism is that they always exist. Nothing happens just like that, by chance, out of nowhere. Not a single manifestation of our psyche is without cause. Even the very appearance of the psyche has a reason. This approach is called biological determinism, which originates from Darwin and tells us that the human psyche was formed as a function necessary for our species to survive.

All mental phenomena have generating factors, that is, they are not random. For example, why does our brain (and not only ours, but also the brains of dolphins, corvids, and higher primates) have mirror neurons? Because the ability to imitate, the ability to put oneself in the place of another, affects our survival. We can predict the actions of our enemy. We can understand another person's feelings.

Determination of behavior

From the point of view of psychological science, human behavior is largely determined by external influences. It is reflected in reactions, decision-making, and habitual actions in a given situation.

The following may act as an external psychological determinant of a negative orientation:

• manipulation;
• violence;
• compulsion;
• blackmail.

Praise, encouragement, recognition of a person’s merits are also determinants, but with a positive focus.

Family and society influence a person’s mental reality and his behavior. They set boundaries that must be adhered to in order not to become an outcast. In most cases they are necessary and justified.

Intrapersonal determination is manifested in the ability to set goals and achieve them by interacting with society.

Interactions in the theory of determinism

The temporal relationship between cause and effect has three versions of origin:

• the cause is the primary phenomenon, and it is followed by the effect;
• with close action and finite speed of cause and effect relationships, there is a gap;
• cause and effect are simultaneous phenomena, the cause arises and immediately provokes the effect, while the cause itself subsequently fades away.

In the theory of science of determinism, there is a thorny issue that concerns the concept of chance, as well as its relationship with causality and necessity. However, practically no one has any debate on the topic of defining necessity as an immutability. This was due to the development of determinism before this.

But the random can be considered as something that is not a consequence of an internal pattern, it is a consequence of external connections and relationships that have a short duration and instability.

State connections are important categories; thanks to the study of states, one can find out not exactly why this or that event happened, but how the process of its origin proceeds from beginning to end. This is a qualitative-quantitative measure of the realization of the existence of something in a certain period of time; in science it has a set of parameters of a specific object. In a broad sense, a connection between states can be independent of a non-causal connection, as is the case in a functional connection.

What is a functional connection? Such a concept means a function, as a more general form of describing sequences, all without regard to the content between objects. Such relationships are reflected in the Boyle-Marriott law, where pressure and volume are not causes of each other, despite the fact that they are functionally related to each other.

But a correlation connection is an expression of a quantitative specific correlation of objects, states, and other things

And also their correspondence to each other against the background of changes is taken into account, as well as parallelism against the background of a weak connection, which can be caused by the presence of a large time period or intermediate objects

The most developed category of determinism is scientific teleology, provided it is sufficiently developed.

Determinants influencing psychological development

The human psyche develops under the influence of various factors of an objective and subjective nature.

Objective

Objective factors in the development of the human psyche include:

• cultural and economic level of society;
• style of raising a child in the family, school;
• caring for a person;
• satisfying the need for closeness and belonging to a group;
• features of mentality.

Objective determinants also include genetic background, temperament and the presence of diseases.

Subjective

Subjective determinants of personality development are interconnected with objective ones and are the basis for self-development. Subjective factors include the conditions under which a person’s motivation, needs, consciousness and behavior style are formed.

Through the acquisition of knowledge and self-knowledge, the path to new opportunities lies.

Irina Sherbul

Definitions

What does the principle of determinism in psychology say? A scientific principle is based on a number of concepts that scientists operate with.

Determinism in psychology

There are three key methodological principles of psychology: determinism, systematicity and development.

The principles of consistency and development are clear to understand.

Systematicity means the presence of connections between various manifestations of the psyche, and development and types of processes occurring.

The concept of determinism is not so clear. This is the recognition of a direct relationship between phenomena and the factors that give rise to them.

That is, when studying any mental phenomenon, it is necessary to analyze the conditions of its occurrence. Only in this case can we talk about creating a complete picture of the present. Not all scientists agree with this opinion.

Deterministic approach

This is a scientific approach, according to which all occurring processes are not random, but have a specific reason.

Determinism considers causality as a set of circumstances that determines all processes. At the same time, it is recognized that it is impossible to explain all phenomena by causality alone.

Other forms of determinism that are key:

• systemic - individual elements of the system depend on the characteristics of the whole;
• feedback - consequences have a direct impact on the cause that caused them;
• statistical - the same reasons can lead to different consequences, subject to statistical regularities;
• target - the task set determines the result that will be achieved in the process of activity;
• self-determinism is a demonstration of the ability to direct oneself and manage one’s actions in accordance with existing needs.

Determination of behavior

What does the determination of behavior imply? A person’s behavior is determined not only by his individual character traits and the current situation in which he operates, but also by the specifics of the social environment around him.

The immediate environment (family, friends, acquaintances) influence the formation of a system of values ​​and life attitudes.

It is in the process of socialization of a child in the family and in society that he learns moral and ethical standards and comprehends the principles of behavior. His personal qualities are supplemented by information coming from outside.

In addition to the immediate environment (microenvironment), a person is also influenced by society as a whole (macroenvironment). Political, economic, sociocultural and historical processes form social norms, rules of behavior, typical processes and phenomena.

This leads to the development of certain behavioral stereotypes, habitual views and opinions in a particular society.

To become a full-fledged citizen and achieve social well-being, you must comply with these stereotypes and rules.

Cultural determinism holds that all human behavior is explained solely by sociocultural causes . It is the level of a person’s culture that determines his emotional reactions, behavior, etc.

Thus, internally, the “I”, under the influence of life in society, is supplemented and transformed into a “I-image” . The inner “I” is understood as the entire set of individual personality traits - temperament, character, values, ideas about oneself and the world.

But often a person in the process of his social life encounters phenomena that conflict with his inner personality.

In this case, the “I-image” comes first - this is the social behavior that a person demonstrates in order to effectively interact with others .

That is, he says and does exactly what members of his social group expect of him. Even if it goes against his internal position.

Determinism and freedom of behavior are possible only if a person knows how to adapt to the requirements of the environment and accept all existing rules without internal discomfort.

Determinants of mental development

Studying the problem of an individual’s mental development involves analyzing three main factors:

1. Biological . This is a key factor influencing the course of mental processes in any individual. It is the properties inherent in nature that become the foundation for the further development of the psyche. The influence of the biological factor is manifested in the following aspects: heredity, congenital characteristics, level of maturation of the nervous system. Heredity refers to a set of qualities that are passed on to a child from his parents. Congenital characteristics are characteristics inherent in a particular organism depending on the course of intrauterine development and the process of childbirth. The development of the nervous system depends on the growth and formation of connections between nerve cells.
2. Social. A set of external conditions that surround an individual in his social environment. Under the influence of these conditions, a process of socialization occurs, which is of great importance.
   It is as a result of socialization that all key skills develop, among which speech development is of paramount importance.

   In parallel with socialization, individualization also develops - the separation of oneself from society, the awareness of one’s own exclusivity.

3. Personal activity. As a result of the full mental development of an individual, the ability to carry out purposeful activities is formed. This activity is manifested in building communications with other members of society, joining social groups, obtaining education, mastering professional skills, etc. As a person grows up, his mental development constantly reaches new levels. As consciousness becomes more complex, activity becomes enriched. Positive activity allows you to socialize in society: take a certain position, build personal relationships, create a circle of friends, etc.

Determinist - who is it?

Determinists are adherents of the corresponding doctrine.

Proponents of this scientific approach talk about the lack of freedom of choice in humans.

All our actions are determined by motives that underlie the causality of phenomena .

These motives can be determined by external circumstances or internal characteristics of a particular individual.

Any action of a person depends not on his specific choice, but on what motive predominantly influences him at the current moment in time.

As a rule, determinists in practical life are not guided by their theory in its pure form. In modern social conditions, it is not possible to function fully, showing complete apathy and lack of initiative.

But people successfully apply the principles of the approach when the need arises to justify their own behavior. In this case, negative actions are explained by the influence of the environment, biological characteristics of the psyche, negative influence of the environment, etc.