Description

The Free Will-Determinism Scale is a psychometric tool designed to assess individuals’ beliefs regarding free will and determinism. This scale examines people’s views on their ability to control their actions and decisions versus the perception that their actions are predetermined by various external or internal factors.

Objective

The primary goal of the Free Will-Determinism Scale is to provide a reliable and valid means for assessing perceptions of free will and determinism. This tool helps researchers and clinicians understand how these beliefs influence individuals’ psychological well-being, behavior, ethics, and interpersonal relationships.

Analysis

The Free Will-Determinism Scale consists of statements that assess individuals’ beliefs regarding free will and determinism in various contexts. The dimensions typically examined include:
Belief in Free Will
Assesses the individual’s belief that they have control over their actions and decisions.
Example statements: “I believe that I have control over my actions.”
Belief in Determinism
Assesses the belief that an individual’s actions and decisions are predetermined by external or internal factors.
Example statements: “I believe that my actions are determined by factors beyond my control.”
Moral and Ethical Implications
Refers to how beliefs about free will and determinism affect moral and ethical judgments.
Example statements: “I believe that people are morally responsible for their actions, regardless of external factors.”

Scoring

The scoring of the Free Will-Determinism Scale is done using Likert scales, where participants rate each statement on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Responses are collected and analyzed to produce overall scores that indicate the intensity of the individual’s beliefs regarding free will and determinism. Higher scores on statements related to free will indicate stronger belief in control over actions, while higher scores on statements related to determinism indicate stronger belief in the predetermined nature of actions.

Bibliography

Paulhus, D. L., & Carey, J. M. (2011). The FAD-Plus: Measuring lay beliefs regarding free will and related constructs. Journal of Personality Assessment, 93(1), 96-104.
Vohs, K. D., & Schooler, J. W. (2008). The value of believing in free will: Encouraging a belief in determinism increases cheating. Psychological Science, 19(1), 49-54.
Baumeister, R. F., Masicampo, E. J., & DeWall, C. N. (2009). Prosocial benefits of feeling free: Disbelief in free will increases aggression and reduces helpfulness. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 35(2), 260-268.
Stillman, T. F., Baumeister, R. F., & Mele, A. R. (2011). Free will in everyday life: Autobiographical accounts of free and unfree actions. Philosophical Psychology, 24(3), 381-394.