is 95 . SOME DEFINITIONS OF INSTINCT. 327 



" instinctive " and " instinct." Since the phenomena are in part 

 biological and in part psychological, any definition should be such as 

 to be of biological value and yet such as to be acceptable to psycho- 

 logists. Since the question of origin is still sub judice, the definition 

 should be purely descriptive, so as not to prejudge this question. 

 And since the phenomena of instinct can only be rightly understood 

 in their relation to automatism, connate and acquired, to impulse, to 

 imitation, and to intelligence, our definition of instinctive activities 

 should find a place in a scheme of terminology. Such a scheme is 

 here set forth. 



Connate automatism : the congenital physiological basis of those 

 movements or activities which are antecedent to individual experience. 



Physiological rhythms : congenital (or connate) rhythmic move- 

 ments essential to the continuance of organic life. 



Reflex movements : congenital, adaptive, and co-ordinated responses 

 of limbs or parts of the body : evoked by stimuli. 



Random movements : congenital, more or less definite, but not 

 specially adaptive movements of limbs or parts of the body : either 

 centrally initiated or evoked by stimuli. 



Instinctive activities : congenital, adaptive, and coordinated 

 activities of the organism as a whole ; specific in character, but 

 subject to variation analogous to that found in organic structures ; 

 similarly performed by all the members of the same more or less 

 restricted group, in adaptation to special circumstances frequently 

 recurring or essential to the continuance of the race ; often periodic 

 in development and serial in character. 



Mimetic movements and activities : due to individual imitation of 

 similar movements or activities performed by others. 



Impulse (Trieb) : the affective or emotional condition, connate or 

 acquired, under the influence of which a conscious organism is 

 prompted to movement or activity, without reference to a conceived 

 end or ideal. 



Instinct : the connate psychological impulse concerned in 

 instinctive activities. 



Control : the conscious inhibition or augmentation of movement 

 or activity. 



Intelligent activities : those due to individual control or guidance 

 in the light of experience through association. 



Motive ; the affective or emotional condition under the influence 

 of which a rational being is guided in the performance of deliberate 

 acts. 



Deliberate acts : those performed in distinct reference to a con- 

 ceived end or ideal. 



Habits : organised groups of activities, stereotyped by repetition, 

 and characteristic of a conscious organism at any particular stage 

 of its existence. 



