Hi Simon. As a first approximation, I think it'd be fair to say that, while the behavior is learned, the desire to perform it isn't. Thus, instinctive behaviors are learned in response to unlearned instinctive desires.
It's possible, though, that if we could a microscope to the neural underpinnings of the desire, we'd find that things aren't quite that tidy. The initial desire could be quite vague and inchoate, and could itself be honed as the behavior starts to develop. In other words, the desire and the behavior may develop in concert with one another.
Logically, though, there must be some unlearned starting point, or the whole process could never get off the ground.
Hi Steve. Watching the little gorilla it seemed to me that there were two factors displayed: 1) the desire/need/urge (!?) to perform the chest thumping and b) the physical competence required. Developing the second factor is something that all complex animals undergo: human infants require practice reliably to locate their thumb in relat…
Jan 8
at
12:17 AM
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