In the expansive tapestry of the animal kingdom, diverse species exhibit what appear to be instinctual behaviors guiding them through life’s myriad challenges: Sea turtles instinctively journeying towards the ocean under the moon’s guidance, birds embarking on epic migrations with the shifting seasons, and lioness mothers intuitively nurturing and teaching their young. But are these behaviors truly instincts?
Before delving into the mechanics of instinct, it’s imperative to grasp its essence.
“To discuss instinct, one must also consider the flip side, which is acquired or learned behaviors,” elucidated Robert Lickliter, a developmental psychobiologist at Florida International University, in conversation with Live Science.
In essence, “instincts” encompass behaviors influenced by multifaceted factors often overlooked at first glance. For instance, imprinting, once deemed an instinctive behavior in which hatchlings identify and trail their mother, was revolutionized by developmental psychologist Gilbert Gottlieb in 1963. Gottlieb’s groundbreaking research revealed that duck hatchlings are drawn to their mother’s vocalizations because they generate their own sounds within the egg, priming their auditory faculties before hatching. This discovery reshaped our understanding of instinct and questioned the existence of hardwired behaviors.
Similar to the duckling example, pre-birth influences can shape behaviors during development. Yet, the traditional nature-versus-nurture debate fails to acknowledge this nuance. Behaviors such as a cat’s adeptness at landing on its feet or a monarch butterfly’s migratory prowess are what behavioral neuroscientist Mark Blumberg terms “species-typical behaviors.”
“When people refer to ‘instinct,’ they mean a reliably produced behavior,” explained Blumberg.
However, dissenting perspectives argue for a spectrum of species-specific behaviors, emphasizing the role of experiences in shaping behavior from birth. Yet, experiences commence even before birth, as evidenced by the duck hatchlings’ vocalizations. Moreover, numerous behaviors once attributed to instincts have been unraveled by science to reveal their intricate workings.
For instance, sea turtles navigate oceans using a potential “magnetic compass,” responding to Earth’s magnetic field rather than hardcoded instincts. Similarly, a cat wouldn’t instinctively know how to land on its feet if born in space, highlighting the influence of environmental factors. Intriguingly, parasitic birds manipulate other species into raising their young, raising questions about how these birds recognize their own species, a phenomenon still shrouded in mystery.
“Our genes don’t dictate behaviors like an on-off switch,” underscored Blumberg. “Instead, genes and behaviors exert a bidirectional influence.”
Fundamental behaviors, such as drinking water, are also learned, as evidenced by experiments with rats raised on dry food. This complexity underscores the fallacy of the nature-versus-nurture dichotomy.
“Even for something as elemental as water, experiential factors play a crucial role in navigating the world,” concluded Blumberg.