Chapter- 4

INSTINCT & MOTIVATION

THE ETHOLOGICAL CONCEPT OF

INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR

THE ETHOLOGICAL CONCEPT OF

INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR
Study of ethological theory of instinctive behavior,

leads to two facts :FirstInstinctive behavior involves a number of

concepts & is perceived as a complex of several
levels & stages. Instinct proper is relevant in
assessing the role of the motivated behavior of the
organism
Secondly Question of whether or not the
ethologists have made a good case for the existence
of instincts

Chapter- 4
INSTINCT & MOTIVATION

INSTINCT & INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR

Instinctive activity involves the arousing, ordering &

INSTINCT & INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR

Instinct refers to the consummator phase of a

motivated act, the ongoing behavior is finally ended

Instinctive behavior is used to describe one or more
sequences of motivated acts, including appetite
(seeking) as well as terminal (energy discharge)
phases
The instinct is only a fraction of the instinctive
behavior (Lorenz)
Instinct alone describes as inborn and absolutely
unchangeable

INSTINCT & INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR

The specific nature of the instinctive action and its

independence of stimulus control has been explained

In their view, retrieving an egg that has rolled from
the nest is an instance of instinctive behavior
Ethological theory may be considered a form of
motivation theory each specific instincts is assigned
its own reaction specific energy
Motivational energy is accumulated in specific centers
in the central nervous system which is released in
performance of the specific instinctive act
Appetitive behaviors bring an invariable end or goal

INSTINCT & INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR

Energy stored in a particular center is subjected to

influence from
Hormones
External

motivational impulses
Intrinsic motivational impulses
Observations of orderliness of the sequence of

behaviors constituting eating, reproductive and other

activities led to the hypothesis of a neural hierarchy
rather than a single neural center

Relationship of Instinct with Appetitive

Behavior & Goal Behavior
Building up of reaction specific energy, or drive leads

to a type of behavior which is not itself an instinct

The drive forces, the non-instinctive appetitive
behavior which in turn bridges the gap between the
energized organism & particular environment in
which the energy can be released (performance of
instinct) { consummators act}
Goal behavior refers to the performance of the
consummators act in the environment containing its
appropriate release

A
INSTINCT OR DRIVE
(State of the Organism
terminating to B)

B
APPETITIVE
BEHAVIOR
(Directed action
terminated by C)

C
GOAL BEHAVIOR
(Specific act
terminating A)

Instinct released by the

The unreleased Instinct
The expression of a co
i.e. stereotyped behavior native urge or appetite for environmental releaser
acting via receptory
pattern
a particular direction or
correlate & minutely
Differentiates &
kind of activity
adjusted to the
accumulates round itself a
environment by the
store of reaction-specific
coat of reflexes
energy.

The process may be

associated with or
preceded by a
physiological need or a
psychological state (co
native urge, Emotion or
both)

This may be :a. Random Locomotion

b. Directed Locomotion
c. Directed Locomotion
(more Complex types)
consisting of specific
Taxes interfaced with
subsidiary instincts

The release of the

instinct results in the
dissipation of the
tension sue to the
accumulation of
reaction specific energy
and in the satisfaction
of the need

INNATE RELEASING MECHANISM(IRM)

Different kinds

of stimuli act as releasers of

instincts & effect of discharge of energy in
instinctive act
Visual Stimuli appropriate to the satisfaction of
the pressing motivational need (Hunger)
Ethologist have defined the concept of innate
releasing mechanism (IRM) on the basis of
distinction between capacity to be stimulated or
receptor sensitivity & the selectivity in response
to particular stimuli

INNATE RELEASING MECHANISM(IRM)

Optimal stimulus situations which release particular

reactions
The dependence of an innate reaction on a certain set

of sign stimuli leads to the conclusion that there must

be a special neuro sensory mechanism that releases
the reaction & is responsible for its selective
susceptibility to such a very special combination of
sign stimuli

VACUM ACTIVITY
Complete or near complete instinctive acts have been performed

in the absence of any observable releasing stimuli termed as the

vacuum activity
It is probable that some minimal stimulation is present and not
recognized by the observer
Greater the accumulation of energy less adequate the releasing
stimulus need be
Following have a complicated interdependency: Amount of available action-specific energy
Rate at which such energy has accumulated
Degree of adequacy i.e. number, quality of the releasing stimuli
Frequency with which the act has been elicited

DISPLACEMENT ACTIVITES & SOCIAL

RELEASERS
Appearance

of behavior patterns that are

inappropriate to the situations in which they occur
Irrelevant responses occur in situations of conflict
where two or more sources of energy are present
Reponses are called displacement activity
Displacement activities result from a conflict of
antagonistic & incompatible instincts (drives)
aroused simultaneously
The mutual thwarting process prevents a discharge of
energy in either of the instinctive acts

DISPLACEMENT ACTIVITES & SOCIAL

RELEASERS
The energy then overflows into an activity which is

available to be performed for reasons of hormonal

readiness or postural convenience
Pure Reactions are never used as displacement

activities but activities which are not so uniquely tied

to specific stimuli may be used
i.e. activities in birds ; nest building movements,

movements of care of the body surface, food begging

movements , false brooding & sleep

LEARNING & INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR

Instinct is something different from other forms of innate

reactions; kinesis, tropisms, taxes & reflexes all represent

innate response mechanisms but are not as spontaneous
and energizing as instincts
Learning capacity itself represent a form of survival

adaptation and is a result of phylo-genetic selection

Specific action potential of innate fixed behavior sequences

that is, instincts. This energy accumulates in groups of

centers in the center nervous system until released by
specific though often complex, environmental stimuli

REFLEX

REFLEX

REFLEX

LEARNING & INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR

To bridge the gap between arousal and release of instinctual

energy a sequence of appetitive behavior is described involving

both learned and unlearned reflexes, kiness, tropism and taxes
Instinctual energy is inhibited until discharged through the

activation of innate releasing mechanisms(IRMs)

Once released the act no longer depends for its form on

anything outside the central nervous system.

Performance of sequences of appetitive behavior & even in the

performance of instinctive act itself , a coat of reflexes serves

to adapt the response to the particular nature of the
environment

LEARNING & INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR

Displacement activity is described as the occurrence of

the instinctive act , in abortive form, out of its proper

context and instead in the context of an apparently
unrelated instinctual sequence
This last phenomenon is shown to be related to drive

conflict or thwarting in much the same way as

symptom formation is thought to occur as a function of
energy overflow and rechanneling in conversion
hysteria

REFLEX TEST