instinct

instinct
1. An enduring disposition or tendency of an organism to act in an organized and biologically adaptive manner characteristic of its species. 2. The unreasoning impulse to perform some purposive action without an immediate consciousness of the end to which that action may lead. 3. In psychoanalytic theory, the forces or drives assumed to exist behind the tension caused by the needs of the id. [L. instinctus, impulse]
- aggressive i. SYN: death i..
- death i. an i. of living creatures toward self-destruction, death, or a return to the inorganic lifelessness from which they arose. SYN: aggressive i..
- ego instincts self-preservative needs and self-love, as opposed to object love; drives that are primarily erotic.
- herd i. tendency or inclination to band together with and share the customs of others of a group, and to conform to the opinions and adopt the views of the group. SYN: social i..
- life i. the i. of self-preservation and sexual procreation; the basic urge toward preservation of the species. SYN: sexual i..
- sexual i. SYN: life i..
- social i. SYN: herd i..

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in·stinct 'in-.stiŋ(k)t n
1) a largely inheritable and unalterable tendency of an organism to make a complex and specific response to environmental stimuli without involving reason
2) behavior that is mediated by reactions below the conscious level

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n.
1. a complex pattern of behaviour innately determined, which is characteristic of all individuals of the same species. The behaviour is released and modified by environmental stimuli, but its pattern is relatively uniform and predetermined.
2. an innate drive that urges the individual towards a particular goal (for example, libido in psychoanalytic psychology).

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in·stinct (inґstinkt) a complex of unlearned responses that is characteristic of a species.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • INSTINCT — L’éthologie comparative, qui cherche à retracer, à l’aide de comparaisons interspécifiques, l’évolution des comportements à travers la série zoologique, propose une théorie renouvelée des instincts et définit ces derniers comme des actes propres… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Instinct — • The term usually includes the idea of a purposive adaptation of an action or series of actions in an organized being, not governed by consciousness of the end to be attained Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Instinct     Instinc …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Instinct — is the inherent disposition of a living organism toward a particular behavior. Instincts are unlearned, inherited fixed action patterns of responses or reactions to certain kinds of stimuli. Examples of instinctual fixed action patterns can be… …   Wikipedia

  • instinct — INSTÍNCT, instincte, s.n. Complex de reflexe înnăscute, necondiţionate, proprii indivizilor dintr o anumită specie şi care le asigură dezvoltarea organismului, alimentarea, reproducerea, apărarea. – Din fr. instinct, lat. instinctus. Trimis de… …   Dicționar Român

  • Instinct — In stinct ([i^]n st[i^][ng]kt), n. [L. instinctus instigation, impulse, fr. instinguere to instigate: cf. F. instinct. See {Instinct}, a.] [1913 Webster] 1. Natural inward impulse; unconscious, involuntary, or unreasoning prompting to any mode of …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • instinct — INSTINCT. s. m. Certain sentiment & mouvement que la nature a donné aux animaux pour connoistre ce qui leur est bon ou mauvais. Un instinct naturel. les bestes ont l instinct qui les fait agir, se conduisent, se gouvernent par l instinct, par pur …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • instinct — [in′stiŋkt΄; ] for adj. [ in stiŋkt′, in′stiŋkt΄] n. [< L instinctus, pp. of instinguere, to impel, instigate < in , in + * stinguere, to prick: for IE base see STICK] 1. (an) inborn tendency to behave in a way characteristic of a species;… …   English World dictionary

  • Instinct — In*stinct , a. [L. instinctus, p. p. of instinguere to instigate, incite; cf. instigare to instigate. Cf. {Instigate}, {Distinguish}.] Urged or stimulated from within; naturally moved or impelled; imbued; animated; alive; quick; as, birds… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Instinct — Разработчик …   Википедия

  • Instinct — (ISSN 1096 0058) ist eine US amerikanische Zeitschrift. Die Zeitschrift richtet sich an homosexuelle und bisexuelle Männer in den Vereinigten Staaten. Das Magazin wird seit 1997 monatlich in englischer Sprache landesweit herausgegeben, Die… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Instinct — In*stinct ([i^]n*st[i^][ng]kt ), v. t. To impress, as an animating power, or instinct. [Obs.] Bentley. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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