Who built instincts into a person. Fighting windmills
Despite the fact that man is a thinking being, i.e. possessing reason, some of the motives of his behavior are based solely on instincts.
What are instincts?
Innate behavior, inherent in nature, is characteristic not only of animals, but is also characteristic of humans. Of course, people are able to think and, thanks to this, control their actions, suppressing the instinctive nature. But in a situation of danger or if "" starts over "human", nature takes its toll. Absolutely all "homo sapiens" have instincts, and they are the common thing that unites man and animal.What instincts did humans inherit from animals?
The instinct of self-preservation. Thanks to him, people are able to distinguish between potential dangers and themselves, commensurate own forces and desires. For some, this innate behavior is expressed by a feeling of discomfort. It often occurs if, for example, a person finds himself in unfamiliar places. A sense of danger dictates further behavior. However, for a number of daredevils, this instinct is muted, and it is travelers who boldly go new routes, exploring protected areas.The instinct to procreate. Any living thing reproduces itself. This is the law of life, and man, as part of the living world, also participates in the process of reproduction. The imposition of the mind allows you to dampen the sexual instinct, and people their sex life without mating uncontrollably. However, such behavior is characteristic of those who form one pair for life.
There are especially many examples of monogamous behavior among birds. Swans, black vultures, albatrosses, bald eagles and even common turtledoves create a pair for life.
Maternal instinct. One of the strongest innate, allowing you to nurse offspring, protect and take care of him. The inseparable mother-child bond lasts as long as the child remains helpless and exposed to danger. Maternal, like others, is closely related to the human hormonal level. A powerful mother-child connection allows you to regulate physiological processes: the release of colostrum and milk, superficial sleep, and others.
It is not for nothing that a powerful launch of the mother's natural behavior is carried out with the attachment of a newborn child to the breast. This is evidenced by the behavior of women who carried an unwanted baby and breastfed him for the first time.
There is not a single instinct that has not been inherited by man from animals, although reasonable people are often not aware of the reasons for their behavior dictated by nature.
What underlies the behavior of any person? Intelligence? It is quite possible, because most of our actions are motivated by the work of the psyche. Almost all of our actions we are able to give a logical explanation. Then what is instinct? Is this also a product of our mind? Or maybe it's something more?
Let's take a look at our psychology. And also in what was the reason for the emergence of human instincts and why are they needed at all? So let's get started.
Instinct is...
We all know that our mind controls the body. In general, this control can be classified as conscious and unconscious. The first category includes all actions that require the intervention of human consciousness. For example, walking, drawing, singing, talking, doing certain work, and so on.
But there is a second group - the unconscious. For example, when a person pulls his hand away from a hot object. That's what instincts are for.
As for the exact meaning, instinct is a certain model of human behavior, laid down in him by nature from birth. Instincts do not require awareness, they, like reflexes, work automatically.
Where did the instincts come from?
It would probably be quite logical to ask the question: how did human instincts arise? After all, a person develops reflexes throughout his life, but instincts appear with his first breath. The answer can be found in Darwin's theory of evolution.
As is known from scientific reports, over the course of tens of thousands of years, mankind has been continuously developing. At the same time, only those who were best able to adapt to environment. And these are not empty words, in those days there was danger at every turn, and, of course, no one put up warning signs.
Therefore, nature came up with a cunning mechanism capable of transmitting genetic information from parents to children. Including instincts. Therefore, one should not be surprised that many of them carry the animal character of our forefathers.
For example, let's analyze the nature of one of the instincts - fear of the dark. Ever wondered why so many people are afraid of the dark? And those who suppressed this horror in themselves, still feel uncomfortable, finding themselves in total darkness? It's all about instinct, because with the onset of night, predators often came out to hunt, capable of tearing apart a lonely traveler. Therefore, mother nature endowed man with fear, so that he would always be on his guard when he was in the dark. This fear became the basis for the appearance of the first of the instincts.
animal instincts
Now that the nature of the instinct is clear, let us proceed directly to which of them have been preserved in man to this day. It is easy to guess that the so-called animal instincts will be the strongest, because they have been with us since the time when a person still moved on four limbs. And for many centuries, they only strengthened in our subconscious.
So, the animal instinct is responsible for the primitive needs of people. To be more precise, for reproduction, hunger and self-preservation.
The most terrible instinct
When people talk about the survival instinct, they don't always realize what it can lead to. Yes, without it, the human race would not be able to survive in the struggle for the dominance of species, giving way to other individuals. This is his main merit, and this should not be forgotten. But there is another side of the coin.
In conditions when life hangs in the balance, the instinct of self-survival takes precedence over the mind. In this situation, a person is not able to control his actions and becomes like wild beast cornered. Naturally, such is the world, and everyone has the right to their own protection, but sometimes, under the influence of the animal nature, people go beyond all permitted limits. That is why this instinct is considered the most terrible of all.
How does sympathy arise?
Even if people think that finding a couple is their meaningful choice, in reality everything is much more complicated. After all, everyone knows that girls and boys begin to be interested in each other from a certain age. It is during this period that our animal instinct launches a special mechanism of influence on the subconscious.
If we consider this at the physiological level, we can see that during this period, male and female hormones begin to actively enter the blood of young people. It is they who motivate teenagers for first love. So not only consciousness, but also instincts are responsible for the relationship between people.
What is behind the maternal instinct
The birth of life is always small miracle. But a tiny creature, just born, cannot yet fend for itself. That is why it is so important that a mother always looks after her child. That is why nature gave a woman a maternal instinct.
Thanks to this, every girl on a subconscious level knows how to behave properly with a child. Also, maternal instinct is defense mechanism who binds a mother's heart to her child. It is he who is responsible for those warm feelings that a woman has with the first breath of her child. Also, this instinct ensures that a true mother will always protect and cherish her child.
Instincts are confused with reflexes (conditioned and unconditioned) and innate needs. The last two concepts are applicable to a person, but instincts are not:
Here is a recent question about animals:
Or, for example, an overview article:
I will quote about the most popular, about the instinct of self-preservation:
So what happens? Expressions like "self-preservation instinct" are incorrect? But how then to call the “automatic” withdrawal of a hand from a hot stove or fire?! Yes, quite right, a person has an innate NEED for self-preservation. But you can’t call it an instinct, because we don’t have the corresponding FCD, that is, an innate program motor activity that would satisfy this need. Having pricked or burned, we withdraw our hand - but this is NOT an INSTINCT, but only a REFLEX (unconditional) TO PAIN IRRITATION. In general, we have a lot of protective unconditioned reflexes e.g. blink reflex, coughing, sneezing, vomiting. But these are the simplest standard reflexes. All other threats to the integrity of the body cause only such reactions that we acquire in the learning process.
Here good example. Reproduction is a brighter topic than the avoidance of death. If it has multiplied, then your life is no longer important, selection here is less pressing.
Doubts arise just remembering all sorts of childfree and just a lot of people unable to find a partner. Is it a human instinct? Or is it just an innate need without a fixed set of actions that ensures the success of any male guppy fish *?
*Danced, fins shook in a special way, welcome to mate, if the other did not drive away. But the other will also dance, without dance there is no love. The female simply won't "read" him as a male.
And what do we see in higher apes:
The Harlows raised 55 monkeys without mothers. When they became sexually mature, only one monkey showed interest in a sexual partner. Among the 90 other monkeys raised with the help of the dummy, only 4 became parents, but they also treated their cubs very badly. Some of them spent all their time sitting in one place, in complete indifference to others. Others assumed strange postures or squirmed unnaturally. The lack of maternal care left an imprint on them for life.
The evolution of instincts in a series of vertebrates is a gradual weakening of their formative influence and replacement by elements of experience. With the progressive development of the individuality of the animal, instinct is replaced by stereotypes where the reaction should be rigid and tough, by training and intelligence where and when a flexible response to the situation is necessary. Stereotypical and ritual forms of behavior are conservative and rigid, "intellectual" are plastic and easily improved, but both are developed. social environment- the first within the framework of rational processes, the second through the creation of concepts of the situation.
It's called culture.
A person is driven by three main instincts, these are the sexual instinct, the instinct of power and the instinct of self-preservation. Using these instincts, you can subjugate the will of a person and manipulate him. And you can also use them to stimulate yourself to achieve big goals. Psychologists consider the weakest instinct, the instinct of self-preservation, but I came to a different conclusion, and I put it above the rest, considering it the main one. I believe that both the sexual instinct and the instinct for power have their basis in the instinct of self-preservation, which is responsible for both one's own reproduction and maximum security. Judge for yourself, why else does a person need power, if not for greater security, but the sexual instinct is nothing more than the need to continue one's own kind, which can also be considered self-preservation. All manipulations with the human consciousness, and most importantly the subconscious, are involved in the manipulation of his instincts.
In general, if we talk about a conscious part of a person, then in more than ninety percent of people, it, this part of consciousness, a part of the mind, is completely, unfortunately, atrophied. The thing is that in our society it is not customary to develop this part, here is the memory to train, yes, we can do it, we are taught this, but it is not customary to develop consciousness. Therefore, the effectiveness of addressing the subconscious of such an unconscious person, in which only his instincts and, so to speak, background thoughts, prevail, and not common sense, it's much more effective method bend him to your will. But why do psychologists put the instinct of self-preservation below the instinct of power and the sexual instinct? With a standard upbringing of a person, the sexual instinct and the instinct of power are suppressed, of course, for what reasons.
It is these instincts that give a person the main advantage in life, giving him a powerful impetus to achieve high results. But the instinct of self-preservation, in its purest form, is mainly based on fear, and a person is in submission because of his fear. But as I said, I consider the instinct of self-preservation above the rest because it complete structure, this is just the instinct of power and the sexual instinct combined. And the fear associated with the instinct of loss of power, as well as the sexual instinct, is much higher, which can be explained by the greater risk of life due to power or sex.
For me, these are obvious facts, because the instinct of self-preservation is often dulled by the other two basic instincts, and this is their shortcoming, because life for a person is the most important thing, without it he will have nothing. But for the most part, a well-developed power instinct and a sexual instinct certainly give a person more security than a self-preservation instinct based on weak fear. I call it weak fear, since all instincts are fear, and fear, as you know, gives furious force if it is a strong fear.
That is why I consider the instinct of self-preservation to be the main one, because it fully collects in itself all the fears associated with a person’s life, and makes him act, makes him achieve high results. From all that has been said, one can draw a completely logical conclusion, any person is subject to manipulation, and fear is characteristic of everyone, it is only distributed in different proportions for different people.
But if a person thinks consciously, then any of his fear loses its strength, because when you know the cause of fear, it is not difficult for you to eliminate it. Cowards are afraid to die, driven by an inferior self-preservation instinct, they are the fastest and die. Those who are hungry for power often forget about self-preservation and common sense, which also leads to tragic consequences. Well, and how many people do stupid things because of the opposite sex, I think it makes no sense to list. And all this is fear for oneself, and fear is unconscious.
Instinct is like an autopilot, when you do not control yourself, instinct drives you, it happens primitively, rudely, quite simply, but often very effectively. And all because only a person who is aware of all his actions and desires can resist manipulation, manipulate himself, and, accordingly, more elegantly and effectively achieve results. But there are few of them, because the study and application of subconscious manipulations by a person in order to induce him to do something, through his instincts, is the most effective method of influencing people.
Lecture "Human Instincts"
instincts. Do people have them or not?
Vinogradova Ekaterina Pavlovna, Ph.D., Assoc. cafe Higher Nervous Activity and Psychophysiology, Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University
The meaning invested by a biologist in the word "instinct" is usually very different from what a person who is far from biology puts into it. Let's try to figure out what the difference is. The discussion that last years goes among ethologists and biologists, does not concern the problem of biologically determined forms of behavior. Few biologists doubt that man is a biosocial being, and his behavior is by no means determined by social factors. In a conversation between people, to varying degrees, far from biology, everything rests on the concept of "instinct", its definition.
One of the definitions of the scientific concept of "instinct" is "a set of innate needs and innate programs to satisfy them, consisting of a trigger signal and an action program."
The program of action Konrad Lorenz, one of the most famous ethologists, called the "fixed action complex" - FKD. Thus, from the standpoint ETHOLOGIES
Instinct \u003d Innate Needs + Innate Program of Action
From the classical standpoint of biology, the innate action program includes a key stimulus common to all representatives of a given species, which will always cause the same fixed set of actions (FAC). Therefore, in BIOLOGY the formula looks like this:
Instinct \u003d Innate Needs + Key Stimulus + Fixed Set of Actions
or I \u003d Ptrb + KS + FKD
Let's talk about innate needs a bit later, but first let's look at the key stimulus and the FCD.
KEY INCENTIVE
The key stimulus is a truly innate trigger mechanism and ensures that a specific instinctive act is tied to a strictly specific stimulus situation. The expediency of this mechanism is due to the fact that a particular behavior must be carried out in an adequate situation from a biological point of view.
The key stimulus is only if it is manifested by all means ALL representatives of the species, even if they grew up in isolation from their fellow tribesmen, i.e., they are species-typical.
A variety of signals can serve as a key stimulus:
- chemical (pheromones, sexual attractants, acting through the olfactory pathways);
- acoustic (strictly fixed cries or "songs");
- tactile (specific touches to certain parts of the body);
- visual (specific species elements of color and markings, species morphological features- tufts, ridges, outgrowths, general body contours and dimensions);
- species-specific body movements and postures (poses of intimidation, submission, rituals of greeting and courtship).
The presentation of any key stimulus to an animal entails its specific innate reaction. An example of such a key stimulus is the brightly colored open beak of a chick that elicits a feeding behavior, or the red abdomen of a male stickleback during marital behavior.
Studies of the three-spined stickleback - a classic object laboratory research, have shown that mating season the abdomen of the male stickleback is painted bright red. Demonstrating it to the whole world, on the one hand, it scares away male rivals from the nest, and on the other hand, on the contrary, it attracts a female. Even lab-created models that vaguely resemble another male have been attacked by a male guarding his territory when he sees a "red belly." At the same time, he remained indifferent even in the case of the maximum close image another male, but without a red abdomen.
In herring gull chicks, the key stimulus is a red spot on the yellow beak of the parents, the sight of it “turns on” the begging reaction: the chick pecks at this spot, and the parent regurgitates food into its mouth.
FIXED ACTION PACKAGE (FAC)
The key stimulus triggers a fixed set of actions, which, in turn, is not a monolithic act, but can be divided into two phases: appetitive behavior and consummatory behavior.
Fixed set of actions = appetitive behavior (AP) + consummatory behavior (CP)
Appetitive behavior (English "appetitive behavior" from lat. "appetitus" - "desire", "desire"- search and approach to the object of satisfaction of the need.
Consumatory behavior (from the English. "consummate" - "complete", "complete") - direct satisfaction of needs (killing prey, copulation).
For the first time, the division of instinctive behavior was introduced by Wallace Craig.
So, now let's expand the initial instinct formula I = Ptrb + KS + FKD and present it in the form:
I \u003d Ptrb + KS + AP + KP
Important to remember!
If we use the biological concept of "instinct", then we should know:
-ALL STAGES OF INSTINCT (Ptrb, KS, AP, KP) - CONGENITAL
- NONE OF THE STAGES OF INSTINCT IS CONDITIONED BY LEARNING
Since our conversation began with the difference in the perception of the concept of “instinct” between biologists and ordinary people, it would be appropriate to clarify this here: the more complex the organization of an animal, the smaller the proportion of innate components in its behavior, and the less rigidly these components are programmed.
Investigating the mechanisms and structure of the course of instinctive acts, researchers have long discovered that appetitive behavior, on the one hand, is typical for each specific species, on the other hand, in many highly organized species it turned out to be changeable and adapted to changing conditions. external environment. The same can be said about the consummatory stage: both in birds and mammals, a series of consummatory acts, in the strict sense, is not given in its entirety from birth, but also contains some element of individual practice.
In most cases, this refers to the motor component of the instinctive act itself, when a newborn cub performs its first consummatory acts very unstable, indistinctly. Apparently, this is due to the incomplete process of maturation of the neural ensembles of the brain, which are normally responsible for this innate act. And so it turns out that the very first movements of the animal during the performance of an instinctive act are "immature", "uncertain", but only after several trials and errors do they acquire all their purely species-typical features.
Let's look at the stages of instinct in a number of animals using the behavior of copulation and hunting as an example.
1. Copulation behavior
Ptrb - reproductive
KS♀ - changes in hormone secretion, KS♂ - female pheromones
AP - search for a sexual partner, copulation
KP - tearing off the head of a male
cats
Ptrb - reproductive
KS♀ - endogenous change in hormone secretion, KS♂ - female pheromones
AP - search for a sexual partner
KP - copulation in cats compared with praying mantises is variable in relation to the courtship behavior of males. The positions of sexual partners are also variable.
Dogs
If a puppy of a dog is raised in isolation from his peers, then in the future, when he reaches puberty, this dog will not be able to normally carry out the act of mating with a bitch :
he, as expected, will jump on her from behind, attach himself, and even attempt to commit frictions. But these will be just attempts, since even the introduction of the penis into the vagina of the bitch may not happen. Thus, both an innate need and a key stimulus can be found in dogs, but the manifestation of PKD is highly dependent on individual experience.
Primates
Their copulation is even more complex, and this process is no longer completely innate behavior. Monkeys reared in isolation (without maternal care) are not able to carry out this act on their own, moreover, females will categorically oppose male attempts to mate.
2. Hunting behavior
The hunting "instinct" in felines and canines also does not have a clearly determined program, since the consummatory act of killing prey is the result of learning.
Cheetah mom teaching puppies
Appetite stage
Consumatory stage
Thus, it is not so much the specific motor acts of instinct that are innate, but their certain general template, within the framework of which the movements themselves develop. Even Wagner ** mentioned some subtle individuality in the manifestation of instinct in different individuals, and therefore, in the end, he preferred to talk not about strictly fixed innate action stereotypes, but specifically about specific patterns of instinctive behavior. Thus, it turns out that the manifestation of a particular instinct in different individuals of the same species may have slight differences, but at the same time, the manifestation of this instinct is clearly defined in the whole species as a whole and can serve as a clear hallmark in relation to other species.
"But isn't it time to return to innate needs?" - the attentive reader probably thinks.
Of course. Now we are ready to talk about innate needs, and at the same time answer the question about human instincts.
INNATAL NEEDS
Let's take a closer look at needs. They form the basis of human and animal behavior. Our behavior is a movement towards needs, and its goal is to satisfy them.
Needs are divided into vital (“life”), social and ideal (about them another time).
The vital ones include not only the need for self-preservation, which can be divided into the need for food, the need to avoid pain, etc. Vital to us are the needs for sensory input (irritation of the senses), for emotions, for acquiring information and for enjoyment.
Social needs include all those needs, satisfying which we establish communication with other people. Communication must be understood broad sense- this is not only a face-to-face conversation or correspondence in social networks. A person can be busy with something and alone, but, for example, he washes the dishes not because there is no clean one, but in order to please his wife.
There are a lot of social needs, but the main one is the need for social self-identification, that is, the need to feel like a member of a community.
All our behavior and emotional experiences are built on the basis of identification with a certain group: a family, a people, a work collective, a group within this collective.
Self-identification underlies many forms of behavior that are referred to as "higher". For example, the need for religion is determined by the need to belong to a limited community that differs from others in a number of ways. external signs, which is provided by ritual.
In addition to self-identification, what else do we need? In dominance, in submission, in friendships, in self-esteem, etc. It should be emphasized that behavior is always aimed at satisfying several needs at the same time. For example, why should students attend classes? Ideally, to get an education and have a well-paid job. But obtaining knowledge and practical skills is far from the main need that they satisfy when they come to their university. The only situation in which a person's behavior is determined by a single need is when he is in a hurry to go to the toilet. But by and large, even so, it satisfies the social need for privacy when evacuating contents. Bladder and intestines!
The presence of an individual spectrum of innate needs indicates that many other individual characteristics are also innate properties, and not a product of upbringing and training.
Knowledge of innate behavior patterns helps ordinary person First of all, it is correct to behave when communicating with animals. For example, you can’t look at a dog on the street: a direct look is an expression of aggressive intentions. But human behavior is subject to the same laws. In general, our body language is very expressive, and a close look can tell a lot about the intentions of the interlocutor, his attitude towards us, and even inner world.
Each person, like each animal, is born with its own individual spectrum of innate needs, expressed in different ways and to varying degrees, which is why one of the differences between ethology and other behavioral sciences is the position of the innate diversity of people. By the way, - YES, ethology also studies the behavior of a HUMAN, namely, the innate component of his behavior.
So, based on the definition and structure of the instinct that we have just considered, we can now assume that a creature that is much higher in development than the feline has no instincts in the classical view.
[Although, to tell the truth, a single instinct is still found in a person, which was found by Irenius Eibl-Eibesfeldt, a student of K. Lorenz. When we meet a person we like, we not only smile, parting our lips, we also involuntarily raise our eyebrows. This movement, which lasts 1/6 of a second, Eibl-Eibesfeldt recorded on film in humans different races. most most he conducted his research in the wild corners of the planet, among tribes that do not know not only television, but also radio, and have rare and superficial contacts with their neighbors. Therefore, the raising of the eyebrows could not have been formed as a result of simulation training. The main argument was the behavior of children blind from birth. They also have the voice of a person they like causes eyebrows to rise, and for the same 150 ms]
So what happens? Expressions like "self-preservation instinct" are incorrect? But how then to call the “automatic” withdrawal of the hand from the hot stove or fire?!
Yes, quite right, a person has an innate NEED for self-preservation. But it cannot be called an instinct, since we do not have the corresponding FKD, that is, an innate program of motor activity that would satisfy this need. Having pricked or burned, we withdraw our hand - but this is NOT an INSTINCT, but only a REFLEX (unconditional) TO PAIN IRRITATION. In general, we have a lot of protective unconditioned reflexes, for example, a blinking reflex, coughing, sneezing, vomiting. But these are the simplest standard reflexes. All other threats to the integrity of the body cause only such reactions that we acquire in the learning process.
"Maternal instinct", "sexual instinct" and other similar expressions - they are all incorrect in relation to a person. And they are incorrect not only in relation to humans, but also to all highly organized animals. We have corresponding needs, but there is no innate program for their satisfaction, no key incentive, no FKD.
Have you forgotten the formula of Instinct, dear reader?
I \u003d Ptrb + KS + FKD
Thus, a person has no instincts in his strict sense. But at the same time, he remains a biosocial being, and objectively there are a number of biologically determined factors that regulate his behavior.