The Psychology of Human Freedom

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

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2. Introduction

   1. Introduction

      • Malcolm R. Westcott

      Pages 1-4

3. Context

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 5-5

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   2. A Philosophical Foray

      • Malcolm R. Westcott

      Pages 7-26

   3. Views from a Bridge

      • Malcolm R. Westcott

      Pages 27-45

4. Psychological Studies: The Nat Sci Variations

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 47-47

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   2. Reacting to Reactance

      • Malcolm R. Westcott

      Pages 49-73

   3. Attributed Freedom, Perceived Freedom, Choice, and Self Control

      • Malcolm R. Westcott

      Pages 75-94

5. Metaconsiderations

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 95-95

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   2. Criticisms and Transitions

      • Malcolm R. Westcott

      Pages 97-114

6. Psychological Studies: The Hum Sci Variations

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 115-115

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   2. Systematic Personal Reports of Freedom

      • Malcolm R. Westcott

      Pages 117-136

   3. Systematic Surveys of Experienced Freedom

      • Malcolm R. Westcott

      Pages 137-162

   4. Further Direct Inquiry

      • Malcolm R. Westcott

      Pages 163-190

7. Further Facets of Human Freedom

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 191-191

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   2. Loose Ends, Missed Opportunities, and Possible Futures

      • Malcolm R. Westcott

      Pages 193-203

8. Back Matter

   Pages 204-227

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In this book I pursue three goals. The first is to describe what has been learned about human freedom through psychological research. The second is to provide a conceptual and methodological critique of the large body of that research which has been conducted within the framework of a positivist natural science ex­ perimental social psychology. My third goal is to offer a contrasting human science approach to the study of human freedom and to illustrate its use in empirical study. For more than twenty years psychologists have inves­ tigated the conditions under which people are seen to be free, the conditions under which they report feeling free, the psychological consequences of interference with be­ havioural freedoms, and to a lesser extent, how it feels to feel free. Empirical fmdings on each of these facets of human freedom have arisen in quite separate research traditions, and they are brought together here for the first time. During the same twenty years, a general critique of the dominant positivist natural science approach to complex human phenomena has been growing. Although it has escalated recently, this critique has fIrm roots that go back to the turn of the century. I review this general critique and apply it specifically to the study of human freedom - surely a complex human phenomenon, more complex, ambiguous, and paradoxical than most of us im­ agine.

• Attribution
• Questionnaire
• psychology
• social psychology
• well-being

• Department of Psychology, York University, North York, Canada

  Malcolm R. Westcott

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