Instinct theory is a psychological theory that explains behavior as being motivated by innate, biologically determined patterns of behavior. This theory suggests that certain behaviors are not learned through experience or conditioning, but rather are innate and inherent in the individual.
According to instinct theory, behaviors are driven by unconscious desires and impulses, which are thought to be biologically based and universal to all members of a species. These instincts are thought to be present at birth and to guide the development and behavior of the individual throughout their lifetime.
One of the earliest proponents of instinct theory was Sigmund Freud, who proposed that human behavior was driven by a number of primal instincts, such as the sex drive (libido) and the desire for aggression (thanatos). Freud believed that these instincts were in constant conflict with one another and that their resolution determined an individual's personality and behavior.
While Freud's theory has been largely discredited by modern psychological research, the idea of innate patterns of behavior continues to be a central concept in many areas of psychology. For example, evolutionary psychology focuses on the ways in which behavior has evolved in response to ecological and social pressures, and suggests that many behaviors are the result of evolutionary adaptations.
Other theories of instinct, such as ethology, focus on the study of animal behavior and suggest that many behaviors are innate and not learned through experience. For example, the instinctive behavior of a bird to build a nest or a mammal to care for their young are thought to be biologically determined and not learned through experience.
Overall, the concept of instinct theory continues to be an important and influential area of psychological research. While the specifics of the theory may have changed over time, the idea that behavior is motivated by innate, biologically determined patterns remains a central idea in many areas of psychology. So, instinct theory is a psychological theory that explains behavior as being motivated by innate, biologically determined patterns of behavior.