McDougall's doctrine of instincts

Abstract

In his Autobiography History of Psychology in Autobiograhy, Vol.I. McDougall claims that there are few men who have had a more intensive training in biology than he has had, and he attributes what intellectual faults and virtues he possesses to this early training. In this chapter an attempt is made to give some account of the way in which this approach has affected his view of human nature. It has been said that, in reviewing the various "schools" of psychology one often finds it difficult to reconcile the fact that they each contain so much truth with the fact that they appear so mutually exclusive. To appreciate their many differences, it is necessary to look beyond the borders of psychology to the different fields from which these psychologists have made their approach. McDougall's "hormic" psychology, with its central doctrine of instincts, is no exception. In the same way as the psycho-analysts have brought to psychology the intimate knowledge of the medical consulting room and the Gestalt movement has introduced concepts of modern physics, so has instinct psychology sought its inspiration in the field of general biology.