Instinct Vs. Impulse
This post shall be a short text; being written in response to a question: What is the difference between instinct and impulse? Let’s examine it in more detail. First, let’s define instinct. An instinct is an innate, typically fixed pattern of behavior in animals that occurs in response to external stimuli. For example, when a dog is wet, it will shake itself instinctively to dry itself off. The tendency is innate and does not occur as a result of environmental learning or conditioning. An instinct should not be mistaken for a reflex however, as, while this is also innate, it is a simple neural response. For example, the rutting reflex occurs in babies when an object is brushed against their cheek. The baby is reflexively searching for a nipple to suckle. In contrast, running when confronted with a bear is instinctual, as the resulting behavioral output is more complex, yet requires no previous learning. Next, let us define impulse. Simply put, an impulse is a wish or an urge. Whe...