❤️ Instincts and Emotions

Human behaviour is shaped not only by thought and learning, but also by inborn tendencies and strong feeling states. Instincts and emotions are therefore important in understanding how people respond to situations, messages, and pressures.

---

Meaning of Instinct

Instinct refers to an inborn tendency or predisposition toward certain kinds of behaviour.

It is generally understood as behaviour that is:

• natural rather than learned
• biologically rooted
• connected with survival or adjustment

In modern psychology, the word instinct is used more cautiously than in earlier theories, but the basic idea remains useful when discussing natural drives and inherited tendencies.

---

Instinct and Behaviour

Instinctive tendencies may influence actions related to:

• self-preservation
• protection
• food-seeking
• reproduction
• fear reactions

However, human behaviour is rarely controlled by instinct alone. Learning, culture, values, and reasoning also shape behaviour.

This is why in educational psychology instinct is treated as one influence among several, not as the only explanation.

---

Meaning of Emotion

Emotion refers to a state of feeling in which the individual becomes mentally and physiologically aroused.

Examples include:

• fear
• anger
• joy
• shame
• curiosity
• disgust

Emotions affect:

• thought
• decision-making
• expression
• behaviour

Emotions are not just feelings. They also involve bodily arousal, expression, and action tendency.

---

Characteristics of Emotion

An emotional state usually involves:

1. subjective feeling
2. physiological change
3. mental interpretation
4. behavioural expression

For example, fear may involve:

• feeling of danger
• increased heartbeat
• interpretation of threat
• withdrawal or escape behaviour

---

Classification of Emotions

Emotions may be classified in different ways. Common emotions often discussed in psychology include:

• fear
• anger
• joy
• shame
• curiosity
• contempt
• disgust

Different psychologists group emotions differently, but the main idea is that emotions influence how a person responds to events and relationships.

---

Biological Basis of Emotion

Emotion is linked with bodily and nervous-system processes.

Important physiological contributors include:

• autonomic nervous system
• glands and hormones
• brain structures related to arousal and feeling

This shows that emotion is both psychological and physiological.

---

Why Instincts and Emotions Matter in Extension

Extension work is not purely logical communication. People may react emotionally to:

• risk
• failure
• social approval or rejection
• new technology
• financial uncertainty

Similarly, basic tendencies toward security, belonging, and self-protection may affect willingness to change.

An extension worker who ignores fear, pride, embarrassment, or group pressure may fail even with technically correct advice.

---

Educational Importance

In teaching and extension, emotions can help or hinder learning.

For example:

• interest and curiosity support learning
• fear and humiliation may block participation
• confidence supports adoption
• shame or insecurity may produce resistance

Thus psychological understanding improves the educational process.

---

Summary Cheat Sheet

• Instinct refers to inborn tendency or natural predisposition in behaviour.
• Human behaviour is influenced by instinct, but also by learning, culture, values, and reasoning.
• Emotion is a state of feeling involving mental and physiological arousal.
• Emotions affect thought, interpretation, and behaviour.
• Common emotions include fear, anger, joy, shame, curiosity, and disgust.
• Emotions have both psychological and biological aspects.
• In extension, instincts and emotions matter because acceptance of advice is influenced by fear, pride, trust, curiosity, and security needs.

References

1 source • [1]

[1]

ICAR e-Courses