Reclaiming Instinct

Abstract

Is instinct a viable concept for contemporary psychology? At the turn of the 20th century the concept of human instinct was the focus of extensive discussion. Today instinct has been all but forgotten. This article explores the historical circumstances that led to the rejection of the concept of human instinct. It then turns a critical eye to a number of presuppositions that continue to equate instinct with preprogrammed genetic mechanisms. An expanded and holistic understanding of instinctual life that includes the subjective reality of the organism is then explored. It is suggested that such an expanded account may be a valuable and necessary theoretical tool for broadening our understanding of human psychology as intimately connected to its evolutionary past.

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