A Study of the Concept of Instinct

Abstract

The controversy which was waged so strongly several years ago round the concept of 'instinct' has abated somewhat during the last few years, but it now appears that neither side prevailed against the other. There are still those who hold that a conception of instinct is indispensable to psychology, while others hold that it may be abandoned without any serious loss to the understanding of human behaviour. At any moment, it seems, the flame may be rekindled, and the controversy started afresh. Some psychologists have thought that what appear to be great differences of opinion among writers may be found on consideration to be largely verbal differences, that is differences in the use of the word 'instinct'. It is the object of the first part of this thesis to clarify the meaning of the word by a consideration of the relation of instinct to other aspects of the mental life of the human organism, namely emotion, intelligence and reflex action. Since the behaviour of the individual at any given moment is an integrated whole, and the above aspects of that behaviour are separated merely for the sake of convenience and are not to be thought of as entirely separate factors of behaviour, there will be an unavoidable overlapping between these chapters of the thesis. The last two chapters of the first part will deal with the newer concepts of 'drive' and 'need', and with the place held by the concept of instinct in the field of social psychology. It is hoped that this first part may provide the answers to such questions as: is there any difference in meaning behind the words 'urge', 'drive', 'need', 'instinct', etc? What, if any, are the different meanings which may be attached to the word 'instinct' itself? Could some definition of the term 'instinct' be given, upon which all, or at least the great majority of present-day psychologists would agree? The second part of the thesis will deal with the more specific applications of the concepts in the field of psychology and education, and in the last chapter some general aspects of the subject will be considered.