Human Instincts

Psychology Unit 1 Paper Human Instincts There are many arguments about whether human beings have instincts and not just responsive reflexes. I believe human beings all have natural born instincts. The definition of instincts tell us that they are unlearned and involuntary, which we all experience as humans. When animals are born they have certain instincts, just like humans. Instincts are in unlearned “fixed action patterns” or reactions to certain kinds of stimulis. Whether a particular behavior pattern is learned it is not always easy to determine because some behaviors can be changed by personal experiences.

Any behavior is instinctive if it is performed without any prior knowledge, also known as a innate biological factor. You were born with instincts that are there to help you survive. Instincts are behavioral patters that do not seem to be learned , they occur in almost finished form the first time they are triggered. There is a complex relationship between instinct, habit and reason Theories involving these concepts typically have many implications, from the causes of human action to the nature of social order. The terms instinct and habit both have unfortunate intellectual baggage.

Nevertheless, for convenience I retain the word instinct as a tag for biologically inherited dispositions. Habit refers to learned dispositions. Instincts are inherited through genes, and habits through culture and institutions Instincts are argued by some to be reflexes. “A instinct should distinguished from a reflex which is a simple response of an organism to specific stimulus, such as the contraction of the pupil in response to a bright light or the spasmodic movement of the lower leg when the knee is tapped.

Instincts, in contrast, are inborn complex patterns of behavior that must exist in every member of the species and that cannot be overcome by force of will. However, the absence of volitional capacity must not be confused with an inability to modify fixed action patterns. For example, people may be able to modify a stimulated fixed action pattern by consciously recognizing the point of its activation and simply stop doing it, whereas animals without a sufficiently strong volitional capacity may not be able to disengage from their fixed action patterns, once activated. ” (http://www. trans4mind. om/) Some people deny their instincts. Although we can repress our natural drives, these drives express themselves sooner or later. However, instinct serves a purpose on a basic level, instinct helps to assure our biological survival for surviving and maintain life. ” It is a permanent part of the repertoire of tools which allows us to respond to the many types of stimuli and challenges which we encounter all of which spur us to become even more conscious and responsive. ”(www. trans4mind. com/) Some common cited example of instincts in humans are the materal instinct and the survivial instinct.

These examples do not agree to the scientific definition of instinct. Many females don’t desire children.. Males tend to contradict their own survival through suicide. The role of instincts in determining the behavior of animals varies from species to species. The more complex the neural system of an animal, the greater is the role of the cerebral cortex, and social learning, and instincts play a lesser role. Babies have a variety of instincts because they do many of the same patterns , such as sucking their thumb which wasn’t taught. Human beings have three types of instincts; survival, procreation, and worship. Instincts, such as the instinct of survival, manifest itself as an ensemble of organic and vital needs and drives. These needs and drives are not instincts but aspects that emanate from the instincts. ”The need to defend oneself from harms way is a example of survival. Other examples include having fear, courage, and hope. “Sexual desires can be satisfied through sexual intercourse — sexual intercourse can ultimately lead to the birth of a new child, continuing the existence of humanity by means of procreation. The love for one’s spouse is another aspect of the instinct of procreation.

The tendency of a parent to love and even risk his or her life in order to protect the child is an example of caring for someone who came about as a result of the act of procreation; accordingly, this love is reciprocated by the child to the parent as well to one’s relatives, such as in the kindness to family. ”( dsc. discovery. com/)The most difficult part about understanding human instinct is that human brains are complex and may sometimes override instinct or over express it. People seem less tied to instinctual behavior than other animals. I Believe that humans definitely have instincts.

I also believe that human do have certain reflexes and habits as well. Certain times of your life you can be put in a position where you are asked to defend your life, and our instincts will kick in. We would be over protective and scared, but those are just instincts to stay alive. There has always been that one time where you had a feeling you shouldn’t be around that certain group of kids at that point of time just because you knew something bad would happen, and you get that instinct of fear, so you choose to leave that situation and get out.

Human instincts are unlearned, involuntary, a punch of complex fixed action patterns, they are activated by stimuli, and is presented in every member of the species. Works Cited: http://www. trans4mind. com/jamesharveystout/instinct. htm#Instinct causes, by definition, an unconscious act. http://dsc. discovery. com/adventure/6-types-of-natural-instincts. html http://brothermahdi. tripod. com/threeinstincts. html