INSTINCT THEORY OF MOTIVATION

What is it that motivates behavior? Is the way that we behave something we are born
with, or is in instead something that develops as we age and due to the experiences we
have? What evidence supports the basis of motivation?
Definition
According to the instinct theory of motivation, all organisms are born with innate
biological tendencies that help them survive. This theory suggests that instincts drive all
behaviors.
So what exactly is an instinct? Instincts are goal-directed and innate patterns of behavior
that are not the result of learning or experience. For example, infants have an
inborn rooting reflex that helps them seek out a nipple and obtain nourishment, while
birds have an innate need to build a nest or migrate during the winter. Both of these
behaviors occur naturally and automatically. They do not need to be learned in order to
be displayed.