Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsInstinct Theory OverviewInstincts and MotivationPower of InstinctsTheory HistoryTheory CriticismsOther Theories
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Instinct Theory Overview
Instincts and Motivation
Power of Instincts
Theory History
Theory Criticisms
Other Theories
Close
Many researchers have sought to understandwhat motivates human behavior. Is the way that we behave something we are born with, or does it develop due to the experiences we have? One theory that is more aligned with the former school of thought is the instinct theory of motivation.
Here we explore what instinct theory is and how it uses evolutionary biology to explain our motivational levels. We also share a few criticisms of the instinct theory of motivation, along with a brief overview of severalother common motivation theories.
At a Glance
Overview of Instinct Theory
According to instinct theory, all organisms are born with certain tendencies designed to help them survive. These biologically determined, innate patterns of behavior are called instincts, and our instincts ultimately drive our actions.
In humans, instinctive behaviors often appear in the form of reflexes, which are present in early childhood. For example, infants have an inborn rooting reflex that drives them to seek out a nipple to obtain nourishment.
Other newborn reflexes include those related to stepping, grasping, and being startled (the Moro reflex). These types of behaviors occur automatically as opposed to being the result of learning or experience. They represent the nature side ofthe nature vs. nurture debate.
A number of instinctive reactions or reflexes that exist in infancy are still present in adulthood. You may have noticed some of these reflexes before as they include the:
How Instinct Theory Explains Motivation
The instinct theory of motivation suggests that our drive to act in a specific way is rooted in our biological makeup. More specifically, we engage in certain behaviors because they aid in our physical survival. Birds that migrate are a primary example.
Research indicates that engaging in migration before the weather turns cold improves these birds' chances of survival.They are motivated or driven to head to warmer climates in the winter because it increases their likelihood of making it through the colder months.
Humans also have basic survival instincts that motivate our behaviors. Going back to the example of the rooting reflex, infants are motivated to “root for” and suck on a nipple as a means of nutrition, which helps ensure their survival.
The presence and/or absence of certain primitive reflexes can be a sign ofdevelopmental issues in children.
But what qualifies as an instinct? In his bookExploring Psychology, author David G. Meyers suggests that to be identified as an instinct, a behavior “must have a fixed pattern throughout a species and be unlearned.“In other words, it must occur naturally in all organisms of that species.
The Power of Instinctive Behaviors
One way to truly understand the power ofevolutionary instinctsis to look at animals. Animals have inherent tendencies to spontaneously engage in particular patterns of behavior. A dog naturally shakes after a bath, for instance, and turtles intuitively head toward the water after hatching.
These instincts are just as powerful in humans. Thanks to the rooting reflex, for instance, brushing an infant’s cheek will cause the child to automatically turn their head and move their mouth as if they are sucking.
History of the Instinct Theory of Motivation
William McDougall was one of the first psychologists to talk about the instinct theory of motivation in his writings.He suggested that there were three important elements of instinctive behavior: perception, behavior, and emotion.
In total, McDougall outlined 18 different natural human instincts. They included natural tendencies toward curiosity, laughter, and sex, in addition to survival-based behaviors such as seeking out food.
PsychologistWilliam Jamesidentified his own set of instincts that he believed were essential for survival. These included such things as fear, anger, love, shame, and cleanliness.
Criticisms of Instinct Theory of Motivation
While instinct theory could explain what drives certain behaviors, its critics feel that it has some major limitations. Among them are:
Even amidst criticisms such as these, this doesn’t mean that psychologists have given up trying to understand the roles that instincts play in behavior. Modern psychologists understand that while certain tendencies might be biologically programmed, individual experiences also play a role in how responses are displayed.
For example, we may be morebiologically preparedto quickly detect specific threats, such as spiders and snakes.However, we will never exhibit fear if we aren’t exposed to these animals.
Other Theories of Motivation
In addition to instinct theory, there are several other theories that have been proposed to help explain motivation. These include:
In actuality, none of these theories—including instinct theory—can fully explain motivation. It’s likely that components of all of them, as well as theories not yet proposed, are integrated in a way that results in us feeling motivated to engage in certain behaviors.
13 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Pediatrics.Newborn reflexes.
National Library of Medicine.Infant reflexes.
Pecuch A, Gieysztor E, Telenga M, Wolańska E, Kowal M, Paprocka-Borowicz M.Primitive reflex activity in relation to the sensory profile in healthy preschool children.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(21):8210. doi:10.3390/ijerph17218210
Meyers DG.Exploring Psychology.
Scholz J.Duplicating nature and elements of subjectivity inThe Ethology of the Greylag Goose.Chicago J. 2021;112(2):326-334. doi:10.1086/714755
Britannica.Behaviourism.
McDougall W.The Energies of Men.
James W.The Principles of Psychology: Volume II.
Zilbersheid, U.The historical character of human nature in Freud’s theories.Am J Psychoanalysis. 2013;73(2):184-204. doi:10.1057/ajp.2013.7
Scheffer D, Heckhausen H.Trait theories of motivation. In:Motivation and Action.2018. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-65094-4_3
New JJ, German TC.Spiders at the cocktail party: an ancestral threat that surmounts inattentional blindness.Evol Human Behav. 2015;36(3):165-173. doi:10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2014.08.004
Gopalan V, Bakar JAA, Zulkifli AN, Alwi A, Che Mat R.A review of the motivation theories in learning.AIP Conf Proceed.2017;1891:020043. doi:10.1063/1.5005376
Myers DG.Exploring Social Psychology.
Meet Our Review Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
What is your feedback?
