voluntarism

1. in psychology, the view that human behaviors are, at least in part, the result of the exercise of volition. See also free will.

2. the general position that will and choice are important factors in all human activities. For example, in ethics, voluntarism emphasizes that commitment to any moral principle is, in large part, a “will to believe,” over which the person has some control. In epistemology, the same is held to be true of knowledge. In the field of historical studies, voluntarism holds that the exercise of will has been a major factor in the course of human events. It is therefore opposed to such approaches as Marxism, which emphasizes the role of impersonal economic forces.

3. in metaphysics, the position that will, rather than mind, spirit, or some other substance, is the basis of reality. The best known philosophy of this kind is that of Arthur Schopenhauer.

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Psychology term of the day

May 8th 2024

Down syndrome

a chromosomal disorder characterized by an extra chromosome 21 and manifested by a round flat face and eyes that seem to slant (the disorder was formerly known as mongolism). Brain size and weight are below average; affected individuals usually have mild to severe intellectual disability and have been characterized as having docile, agreeable dispositions. Muscular movements tend to be slow, clumsy, and uncoordinated. In many cases, growth is stunted, the tongue is thick, and the fingers are stubby. Affected individuals may have heart defects and respiratory insufficiencies or anomalies that are often corrected during infancy by surgery. However, lifespan is reduced compared with that in the general population, and affected individuals typically show early onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Down syndrome is one of the most common physiological causes of intellectual disability. Also called Langdon Down’s disease; trisomy 21. See also autosomal trisomy of group G. [described in 1866 by John Langdon Haydon Down (1828–1896), British physician]