Instinct

Instincts are goal-directed and innate patterns of behavior that are not the result of learning or experience. For example,
In humans
The rooting reflex as is the suckling reflex (a reflex in which babies begin sucking when a finger or nipple places pressure on the roof of their mouth,)
The Moro reflex (a startle reaction seen in babies less than 6 months of age) and
The Babkin reflex (a reflex in which babies open their mouths and flex their arms in response to rubbing the palms of their hands.)
Birds have an innate need to build a nest or migrate during the winter.
In animals example may be
A dog shaking after it gets wet,
A sea turtle seeking out the ocean after hatching
All of these behaviors occur naturally and automatically. They do not need to be learned in order to be displayed.

1. Compiled by Col Mukteshwar Prasad( Retd ), MTech,CE (I),FIE(I), FIETE,FISLE,FInstOD,AMCSI Contact -9007224278, e-mail –[email protected] for book ”Decoding Services Selection Board” and SSB guidance and training at Shivnandani Edu and Defence Academy For over 260 Presentations look https:// www.slideshare.net/ColMukteshwarPrasad/ Instinct Ref- https://www.verywellmind.com/instinct-theory-of-motivation-2795383 How the Instinct Theory Explains Motivation By Kendra Cherry

2. Instinct : An Introduction Instincts are goal-directed and innate patterns of behavior that are not the result of learning or experience. For example, In humans The rooting reflex as is the suckling reflex (a reflex in which babies begin sucking when a finger or nipple places pressure on the roof of their mouth,) The Moro reflex (a startle reaction seen in babies less than 6 months of age) and The Babkin reflex (a reflex in which babies open their mouths and flex their arms in response to rubbing the palms of their hands.) Birds have an innate need to build a nest or migrate during the winter. In animals example may be A dog shaking after it gets wet, A sea turtle seeking out the ocean after hatching All of these behaviors occur naturally and automatically. They do not need to be learned in order to be displayed. Evolution Instincts(Behavioral evolution) evolved parallel along with the rest of the organism’s body via the same principles of variation and natural selection that drives and explains phylogenetic evolution.

3. Mechanism Information 1 st principle is that nervous systems are networks of neural networks consisting of many neurons. Humans are estimated to have 100 billion neurons and each connect to many other neurons. In some cases, one human neuron can connect to as many as 10,000 other neurons. The human brain is estimated to contain 100 trillion synapses. Genetics, DNA, is responsible for constructing neural networks during embryological development. Different creatures have different DNA which is responsible for their different nervous systems. 2 nd principle is that the neurons in all species are connected to other neurons by synapses, tiny gaps into which neurotransmitters are secreted. Some of these neurotransmitters facilitate electrical conduction from one neuron to another. Other neurotransmitters inhibit electrical conduction from one neuron to another. Genetics, DNA, is responsible for constructing these synapses. It therefore seems quite possible that the excitatory/inhibitory properties of synapses could be set during their construction rather than modified by experience. This possibility is central to the explanation of how instincts work . It could be implemented by silencing or deleting the genes that enable experience-dependent synaptic flexibility. A great deal of scientific knowledge supports the view that synapses are central to learning and memory (Hell & Ehlers, 2008). Flexible human learning requires that the excitatory/inhibitory properties of synapses be allowed to be set via experience-dependent synaptic plasticity mechanisms.

4. Mechanism Information- Instict Instinct appears to preset synaptic connections to “adult” values during embryology. That is to say, the genes that are responsible for constructing the synapses as part of the neural networks that mediate instinct appear to also set their functional properties to optimal excitatory or inhibitory levels that replicate what would have been achieved if the network had gone through a rigorous and comprehensive developmental learning phase. DNA appears to code for final “adult” synaptic values in the case of spiders where instinct seems to dominate their behavior. Genetics appears to exert a lesser but still noteworthy effect in what are called biologically prepared behaviors such as our fears of heights and the dark . The ability of DNA to present properties of individual synapses across complex neural networks explains how behaviors can be inherited. This explains how spiders can weave complex webs shortly after hatching. It also explains why dogs and cats behave differently. Genetic variation explains individual behavioral differences—or in other words, why spiders of the same species may behave somewhat differently, or why individual dogs and cats differ temperamentally.

5. A Brief History of the Instinct Theory of Motivation Psychologist William McDougall suggested that instinctive behavior was composed of three essential elements: Perception, Behavior, and Emotion. He also outlined 18 different instincts that included curiosity, the maternal instinct, laughter, comfort, sex, and hunger .(Some given in last slide along with emotions) Psychiatrist Sigmund Freud used a broad view of motivation and suggested the human behavior was driven by two key forces: the life and death instincts. Psychologist William James, on the other hand, identified a number of instincts that he believed were essential for survival. These included such things as fear, anger, love, shame, and cleanliness .

6. Observations About Instinct Theory The instinct theory suggests that motivation is primarily biologically based. We engage in certain behaviors because they aid in survival . Migrating before winter ensures the survival of the flock, so the behavior has become instinctive. Birds who migrated were more likely to survive and therefore more likely to pass down their genes to future generations. David G. Meyers suggests that in order to be identified as an instinct, the behavior "must have a fixed pattern throughout a species and be unlearned." In other words, the behavior must occur naturally and automatically in all organisms of that species. For example, infants have an innate rooting reflex that leads them to root for and suck on a nipple. This behavior is unlearned and occurs naturally in all human infants. Doctors often look for an absence of such instinctive reflexes in order to detect potential developmental issues .

7. Criticism and bottom line Criticisms of Instinct Theory Instincts can't explain all behaviors Instincts are not something that can be readily observed and scientifically tested Just labeling something as an instinct does nothing to explain why some behaviors appear in certain instances but not in others Bottom Line Modern psychologists understand that while certain tendencies might be biologically programmed, individual experiences can also play a role in how responses are displayed. For example, while we might be more biologically prepared to be afraid of a dangerous animal such as a snake or bear, we will never exhibit that fear if we are not exposed to those animals .

8. Other Theories About Motivation The incentive theory of motivation, in which our behaviors are driven by the desire for rewards , T he drive theory of motivation , in which people are "driven" to behave in certain ways to reduce the internal tension caused by unmet needs , T he arousal theory of motivation , which claims that people behave in certain ways to either increase or decrease their arousal , T he humanistic theory of motivation , which claims that behaviors are the result of a desire for self-actualization, and T he expectancy theory which claims that we make choices to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. In actuality, none of these theories, including instinct theory, can fully explain motivation. It's likely that components of all of these theories, as well as theories not yet proposed, are integrated in a way that results in the motivation for the behaviors of humans.

9. William McDougall’s Instict 1.The Instinct of Flight and the Emotion of Fear 2. The Instinct of Repulsion and the Emotion of Disgust 3. The Instinct of Curiosity and the Emotion of Wonder 4. The Instinct of Pugnacity and the Emotion of Anger 5. The Instincts of Self-abasement (or Subjection) and of Self-assertion(or Self-display), and the Emotions of Subjection and Elation (or Nega-tive and Positive Self-feeling) 6. The Parental Instinct and the Tender Emotion Some other Instincts of less well-defined Emotional Tendency 7. instinctof reproduction. 8. gregarious instinct 9. instinct of acquisition. 10. instinct of construc-tion . Some General or Non-Specific Innate Tendencies 11. Sympathy or the Sympathetic Induction of the Emotions 12. Suggestion and Suggestibility 13. Imitation 14. Play 15. Temperament