Beliefs in free will and determinism: the impact on our mental health and contribution to well-being 

The debate between free will and determinism has been a central issue in philosophy and psychology for a long time. Free will is the ability to make your own decision, or the power for human to make choices independently from any prior event, while determinism suggests that all events, including human decisions and actions are predetermined by external causes and therefore, inevitable. This debate has been discussed in philosophical and scientific contexts, but on the other hand, recent research argues that beliefs in free will and determinism can influence our mental health deeply, especially when taken to the extreme, such as fatalistic determinism which suggests that fate has already determined and a person’s action have no effect. The study “How is fatalistic determinism linked to depression? The mediating role of self-control and resilience” conducted by Fu et al. (2021), investigates how fatalistic determinism increases depression by reducing self-control and resilience. Building on this idea, the study “Laypersons’ Beliefs and Intuitions About Free Will and Determinism: New Insights Linking the Social Psychology and Experimental Philosophy Paradigms” by Feldman & Chandrashekar (2017) discusses laypeople’s intuitions about free will and determinism, revealing how belief in agency positively influences well-being. And finally, “Beliefs in Free Will Versus Determinism: Search for Meaning Mediates the Life Scheme–Depressive Symptom Link” by Li & Wong (2020) argues how belief in free will provides a framework for meaning in life, which in turn reduces depressive symptoms. Therefore, both beliefs in free will and determinism have a significant impact on psychological well-being, with determinism being linked to higher depressive symptoms due to decreased self-control and resilience, while belief in free will provides a sense of purpose and motivation that contributes to better mental health. 

Fatalistic determinism is associated with negative mental health outcomes, especially depression. Fu et al. (2021), figured that self-control and resilience are the key factors mediating the relationship. The study lists three factors that fatalistic determinism contributes to depressive symptoms. First, people who believe that their actions have no actual impact on their future tend to have lower self-control, making them more vulnerable to emotional distress, and in return increase depression rate. Second, fatalistic determinism weakens resilience, the capacity to recover from difficulties and it decreases the motivation to overcome challenges. Lastly, reduced self-control and reduced resilience combined together intensifies depressive symptoms. More than the direct impact on depression, fatalistic determinism increases stress and anxiety level due to the belief that one’s choices cannot change their future as they may feel there is little reason to take action if the actions don’t matter. Fatalistic determinism fosters a mindset that increases mental health struggles by sabotaging resilience and self-efficiency. 

On the other hand, belief in free will is associated with pursuit of well-being, purpose, and resilience. Feldman & Chandrashekar (2017) found that laypeople generally favor an indeterministic view of world, which links free will to pro-socialism, learning things, and happiness. Even the people who had deterministic views still assign moral responsibility, which suggests an instinctive preference for self-agency. Similarly, Li & Wong (2020) found that belief in free will is associated with a life scheme, defined as “the cognitive representation of individuals’ life events and their goal attainment in the past and future”, reducing depressive symptoms by encouraging a sense of control and responsibility. People with free will belief are more motivated to set goals, overcome obstacles, and find meaning in life which all connects to well-being.  

The meaning of life and self-agency play a critical role in mental well-being. Li & Wong (2020) found that search for meaning relates to free will beliefs to lower depression. Feldman & Chandrashekar (2017) support this, showing that people who believe in free will often are more future oriented and have self-improvement mindset. Conversely, Fu et al. (2021) found that having self-control and resilience help decrease the negative mental effects of believing in fatalistic determinism.Together, these findings reinforce the importance of self-agency, search of meaning, self-control, and resilience. Those who believe they have the ability to shape their lives are more likely to create proactive coping mechanisms, eventually result in better psychological outcomes. 

Belief in fatalistic determinism is strongly linked to depression and emotional distress, because of its negative effects on self-control, resilience, and self-agency whereas belief in free will enhances psychological well-being with a sense of meaning, responsibility, and goal-oriented mindset, helping people navigate challenges with confidence. Understanding the psychological consequences of both of these beliefs is important when it comes to improving mental health.

Abstract

This literature review explores the psychological effects of believing in free will versus fatalistic determinism. The genre of this piece is academic research synthesis. The purpose of the review is to highlight how these beliefs impact mental health, particularly in areas like depression, resilience, and motivation.

References

Fu, J., Zhao, Y., Feng, X., Wang, Y., Yu, Z., Hua, L., Wang, S., & Li, J. (2021). How is fatalistic determinism linked to depression? The mediating role of self-control and resilience. Personality and Individual Differences, 180, 110992-. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2021.110992 

Feldman, G., & Chandrashekar, S. P. (2018). Laypersons’ Beliefs and Intuitions About Free Will and Determinism: New Insights Linking the Social Psychology and Experimental Philosophy Paradigms. Social Psychological & Personality Science, 9(5), 539–549. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550617713254 

Li, P. F. J., & Wong, Y. J. (2024). Beliefs in Free Will Versus Determinism: Search for Meaning Mediates the Life Scheme–Depressive Symptom Link. The Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 64(5), 940–953. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167820933719