SOCI 3422 Blog

I also thought before I enrolled in this class that we have human instincts but after her explaining that if one has it we all have to it kind of explains it. Although sometimes I still second guess it because for example parents raising children. Women know what to do and sometimes they just dont do it. As far as animals having instincts some also kill their children. So how can that be explained?

I know exactly what you both mean, but I agree with professor Warren. This is about the 4th class where I have discussed this and pondered the opposite. In your particular example Sheneka, you talked about women knowing what to do with their children. I have to disagree because I've seen many women not know what to do, how to do it, or when to do it when it comes to their children. This can be regarding feeding, safety, tenderness, or strictly hygienetical. If you toss a new born mamal (homo-sepien) into the water, he or she will drown because of that lack of "instinct to swim. If you toss any other type of mamal into the water, you'll see that they instinctively know how to swim and survive. The defining factor is really innate abilities, which we don't have except for the "Fight or Flight" theorum that depicts our breathing abilities and ties it to our adrenal glands and other hormones. Our body is an autonomous mechanism, but outside of that scope we are SOL when it comes to instincts.

In response to your original post Angela, the "gut" feeling or cause for one person to rethink a situation or another person's thoughts is merely experience. Humans have the ability to reason. We weigh out our options and process information based on other experiences, whether ours or someone else's and whether they are bad or good ones. A lot of animals process information and look at their options, but most are very limited in both options and processes and they are also mostly because of conditional or unconditional stimuli that provide such options. These stimuli can offer a positive or negative response, thus making them learn about that experience and molding the body to avoid a "painful" repeat.

And yes I did just make up a word..."hygienetical" was suppose to be "hygienic". My brain was not functioning properly without its coffee this morning I guess. :)