instinct

Examples of instinct in the following topics:

• Evolutionary Theory of Motivation

  • James theorized that behavior was driven by a number of survival instincts.
  • From a biological perspective, an instinct is a species-specific pattern of behavior that is not learned.
  • There was, however, considerable controversy between James and his contemporaries over the exact definition of instinct.
  • James proposed several dozen special human instincts, but many of his contemporaries created different lists.
  • A mother’s protection of her baby, fondness for sugar, and hunting prey were among the human behaviors proposed as true instincts during James’ era.

• Defining Learning

  • Instincts and reflexes are innate behaviors—they occur naturally and do not involve learning.

• The Nature and Meaning of Dreams

  • This practice frees up space in the brain to deal with the emotional arousals of the next day and allows instinctive urges to stay intact.

• Freud's Psychosexual Theory of Development

  • Latency (6-12 years of age): During this stage, sexual instincts subside, and children begin to further develop the superego, or conscience.

• Human Language Development

  • He believes children instinctively learn language without any formal instruction.

• Specific Phobia

  • On the savanna, dangers such as large predators, snakes, and spiders tend to be hidden from view until very close and may be a particular danger to infants and small children, favoring the development of an instinctive fearful response.

• Rogers' Humanistic Theory of Personality

  • He coined the term actualizing tendency, which refers to a person's basic instinct to succeed at his or her highest possible capacity.