Instinct vs. Innate — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 30, 2024
Instincts are inborn patterns of behavior that are biologically driven and performed without prior experience, whereas innate refers to any traits or characteristics that are present from birth, not just behaviors but also abilities and qualities.
Difference Between Instinct and Innate
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Instinct involves automatic responses to specific stimuli that are universally seen across a species, like birds migrating or infants sucking. Innate characteristics, on the other hand, encompass a broader range of inherent traits including instincts but also extend to innate abilities like reflexes and predispositions in temperament.
Instincts are crucial for survival and reproduction, typically manifesting as complex but fixed patterns of behavior that do not rely on learning. Innate traits can influence the development of certain skills or behaviors, although they may require interaction with the environment to be fully expressed.
While instinctual behaviors are exhibited without learning and remain largely unchanged, innate abilities such as intelligence may need environmental stimuli for full development. This highlights that while all instincts are innate, not all innate qualities are instinctual behaviors.
Instincts often serve clear evolutionary purposes, such as the instinct to flee from danger. Innate traits, while also often beneficial for survival, can include a broader spectrum of physical and mental characteristics that may not have a direct survival benefit, such as a predisposition to certain illnesses.
In terms of human development, instincts play a less prominent role compared to other animals, as human behavior is largely learned. Innate qualities in humans, such as certain genetic conditions or innate talents, are evident from birth and can significantly influence an individual’s capabilities and challenges.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Inborn behaviors
Inborn traits
Dependency on Learning
No
Partially (depends on the trait)
Expression
Specific and uniform
Varies widely
Evolutionary Purpose
Often survival-related
Broad, not always survival-based
Examples
Nesting in birds
Eye color, reflex actions
Compare with Definitions
Instinct
Universal and predictable actions within a species.
Spiders spin webs by instinct.
Innate
Not acquired through experience.
People have an innate ability to cry.
Instinct
Inborn, automated response to stimuli.
A duckling instinctively knows how to swim.
Innate
Existing from birth.
An innate fear of heights is common in many humans.
Instinct
Behavior that does not require learning.
Newborn babies have the instinct to suckle.
Innate
Can be physical or psychological traits.
Some people have an innate sense of direction.
Instinct
Essential for immediate survival and reproduction.
Many animals instinctively hide from predators.
Innate
Varies more between individuals than instincts.
Innate intelligence varies widely among individuals.
Instinct
Manifests similarly across all individuals of a species.
Salmon return instinctively to their birthplace to spawn.
Innate
Includes instincts, abilities, and predispositions.
Innate musical talent can be evident in early childhood.
Instinct
Instinct is the inherent inclination of a living organism towards a particular complex behaviour, containing both innate (inborn) and learned elements. The simplest example of an instinctive behavior is a fixed action pattern (FAP), in which a very short to medium length sequence of actions, without variation, are carried out in response to a corresponding clearly defined stimulus.
Innate
Existing naturally or by heredity rather than being learned through experience
"Chimpanzees show an innate distrust of contact with strangers" (Cindy Engel).
Instinct
An inborn pattern of behavior that is characteristic of a species and is often a response to specific environmental stimuli
The spawning instinct in salmon.
Altruistic instincts in social animals.
Innate
Of or produced by the mind rather than learned through experience
An innate knowledge of right and wrong.
Instinct
A powerful motivation or impulse.
Innate
Possessed as an essential characteristic; inherent
"As the Army and farmers built more and more levees, the Missouri lost an innate capacity to absorb its frequent excesses" (William Least Heat-Moon).
Instinct
An innate capability or aptitude
An instinct for tact and diplomacy.
Innate
Inborn; existing or having existed since birth.
Instinct
Deeply filled or imbued
Words instinct with love.
Innate
(philosophy) Originating in, or derived from, the constitution of the intellect, as opposed to acquired from experience.
Innate ideas
Instinct
(Obsolete) Impelled from within.
Innate
Instinctive; coming from instinct.
Instinct
A natural or inherent impulse or behaviour.
Many animals fear fire by instinct.
Innate
(botany) Joined by the base to the very tip of a filament.
An innate anther
Instinct
An intuitive reaction not based on rational conscious thought.
An instinct for order; to be modest by instinct
Debbie's instinct was to distrust John.
Innate
(obsolete) To cause to exist; to call into being.
Instinct
(archaic) Imbued, charged (with something).
Innate
Inborn; native; natural; as, innate vigor; innate eloquence.
Instinct
Urged or stimulated from within; naturally moved or impelled; imbued; animated; alive; quick; as, birds instinct with life.
The chariot of paternal deity . . . Itself instinct with spirit, but convoyedBy four cherubic shapes.
A noble performance, instinct with sound principle.
Innate
Originating in, or derived from, the constitution of the intellect, as opposed to acquired from experience; as, innate ideas. See A priori, Intuitive.
There is an innate light in every man, discovering to him the first lines of duty in the common notions of good and evil.
Men would not be guilty if they did not carry in their mind common notions of morality, innate and written in divine letters.
If I could only show, as I hope I shall . . . how men, barely by the use of their natural faculties, may attain to all the knowledge they have, without the help of any innate impressions; and may arrive at certainty without any such original notions or principles.
Instinct
Natural inward impulse; unconscious, involuntary, or unreasoning prompting to any mode of action, whether bodily, or mental, without a distinct apprehension of the end or object to be accomplished.
An instinct is a propensity prior to experience, and independent of instructions.
An instinct is a blind tendency to some mode of action, independent of any consideration, on the part of the agent, of the end to which the action leads.
An instinct is an agent which performs blindly and ignorantly a work of intelligence and knowledge.
By a divine instinct, men's minds mistrustEnsuing dangers.
Innate
Joined by the base to the very tip of a filament; as, an innate anther.
Instinct
Specif., the natural, unreasoning, impulse by which an animal is guided to the performance of any action, without thought of improvement in the method.
The resemblance between what originally was a habit, and an instinct becomes so close as not to be distinguished.
Innate
To cause to exit; to call into being.
Instinct
A natural aptitude or knack; a predilection; as, an instinct for order; to be modest by instinct.
Innate
Not established by conditioning or learning;
An unconditioned reflex
Instinct
To impress, as an animating power, or instinct.
Innate
Being talented through inherited qualities;
A natural leader
A born musician
An innate talent
Instinct
Inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli;
The spawning instinct in salmon
Altruistic instincts in social animals
Innate
Present at birth but not necessarily hereditary; acquired during fetal development
Instinct
(followed by `with')deeply filled or permeated;
Imbued with the spirit of the Reformation
Words instinct with love
It is replete with misery
Common Curiosities
How is innate different from learned?
Innate traits are present at birth and not acquired from external experiences, unlike learned behaviors.
Is intelligence an instinct?
No, intelligence is an innate ability that requires environmental stimulation and learning to develop.
Are all instincts beneficial?
While most instincts have survival benefits, not all necessarily have positive outcomes in modern contexts.
Can instincts be changed?
Instincts are typically fixed and do not change through personal experience, although they can evolve over generations.
Are innate abilities the same in everyone?
No, innate abilities, like talents or susceptibilities, vary widely among individuals.
Can innate traits be genetic?
Yes, many innate traits are genetic, passed from parents to offspring.
What's an example of an innate psychological trait?
An innate psychological trait could be a natural predisposition towards anxiety or cheerfulness.
What is an example of an instinct?
An example of an instinct is a baby's reflex to grasp anything that touches their palm.
How do innate abilities develop?
Innate abilities may require environmental interaction for full development, unlike instincts which are fully functional at birth.
Do humans have many instincts?
Humans have fewer instincts compared to many animals, with much of human behavior being learned.
How do instincts differ among species?
Instincts can vary greatly among species depending on their evolutionary needs.
What role do instincts play in animal behavior?
Instincts often govern critical behaviors in animals, such as feeding, mating, and predator avoidance.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
