Final answer:
Human tendency to perceive behavior as automatic can reflect conditioning, actor-observer bias, and learned helplessness. These psychological concepts contribute to the debate between determinism and free will, illustrating the complex nature of human behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tendency to act as though one's behavior is automatic and out of their control is often attributed to various psychological concepts that are central to the debate between free will and determinism. For instance, conditioning during childhood teaches us certain automatic responses to stimuli. Similarly, the phenomena of actor-observer bias and learned helplessness reflect the complexity of human behavior and how perception of control can vary depending on whether we are observing others or reflecting on our own actions.
As humans, we may experience automatic behavior that seems to have been shaped by past experiences and conditioning. This supports the determinist view that suggests we are not entirely free but are products of previous conditioning. On the other hand, experiences where we have actively made choices reinforce the belief in free will. In social behavior, our actions can seem either instinctive or learned, reflecting both innate behaviors and environmental influences such as cultural pressures.