Following is a list of proposed human instincts:
SUSTENANCE
1. eat and drink; seek food and water 2. seek sweet and fatty (nutritious) foods
3. avoid eating smelly or bitter things 4. be cautious about novel foods 5. seek better resources than presently available 6. seek neighborhoods that are green and flowery SEX
7. be interested in girls or boys (usually of opposite sex) 8. seek sexual contact and excitement; "do the deed" - but in privateand not with your children or parents 9. love children and the cute (female more than male) 10. compete for resources (wealth, fame, etc.) 11. pair up; find longterm partners (female more than male) 12. compete for the best (and, for males, the most) partners (eg, show off, dress up) 13. be aggressive, use force to gain advantage (male more than female) DEFENSE
14. blink; flinch; flee 15. frown; snarl; attack for advantage (male more than female) 16. keep yourself alive; ensure your genetic survival 17. protect your own family 18. grades of importance: own children > spouse > siblings > clan, etc 19. obtain and defend resources: jobs, land, property, hunting rights, sex partners, etc. (male more than female) SOCIALITY
20. bond with your group, hangout with your family 21. try to reduce conflict within your group (female more than male) 22. compete for leadership in groups 23. imitate others: beliefs, knowledge and skills 24. be wary of and dislike `outsiders' 25. teach youngsters (female more than male) 26. smile; laugh; mope; frown; strut; cry 27. celebrate; share gifts (esp food); hug; grieve 28. display emotions: anger, happiness, disgust, sadness, fear, surprise KNOW/LEARN
29. be curious about stuff, make sense of things 30. learn about your surroundings 31. play with toys (objects, pets, tools, machines, etc) 32. explore new places, find more efficient methods 33. be more adventurous - especially when young TALK
34. learn new words and more effective speech (especially the young) 35. chitchat; commiserate; boast; scold; make jokes; entertain 36. organize others' behavior; lead your fellows (male more than female) 37. tell and listen to stories
38. make music, make artistic objects
These may very well be instinctual in humans. For example you never hear chimps cry, but human children seem to do it instinctually. I am quite certain they don't have to be taught. We begin as babies whenever we are uncomfortable: whether we are too hot or cold, wet, hungry or fearful.
I think a strong cases can be made for other items on the list, but crying seems an open and shut case. Babies are not taught to cry -- it is something we just seem born to do.
see:
Port's Instinct List
1. "Man does not live on bread alone, but every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" - Jesus. Humans can fast.
2. People on diets tend sometimes learn to adapt to their sustain from certain foods.
3,4. People, not all, some accept foods bitter or bland (example tofu). This concludes that humans try "new" things as they grow up [experiment tastes] and happily accept what they like, unlike animals who stick mainly to a specific diet.
5. Although humans, not all, seek resources presentable, but some, not all, take what they see or of being lazy and with weak notions of caring. We got division between the two as common instead of a common ground.
6. This is usually labelled feminine in modern society, with is sometimes not a norm among groups of people. (Don't know what the word sex represented in that)
7. That is common, as it said usually opposite sex, even though homosexuality and bestiality is known among sinful human.
8. Some men and women become or born as eunuchs (also referred to as celibate) which would not cause passion for another under great discipline, sometimes for some no discipline.
9. Families known for sacrificing children (Incas, Moloch, etc) with merciless hearts, because of their reprobated hearts that have been seered with a hot iron.
10. Coming to change, synonym for repentance, can change a ego to a let go, and desire another's well-being instead your own.
11. - See also 8<<
12. -.See also 10<<
13. Meek and those with low self-esteem don't always automatically gain this ability.
14. That is the same as breathing, though one can stop anytime they want, and are aware. Animals aren't usually seen to want to hold their breath, stop blinking, and know not to finch since they can't comprehend to the reason why they should or would want to [if such a thought could be in their minds]
15. Known humans can smile in situations that don't match an emotion, for an animal they won't giggle in a situation of were they are beaten and are abused, but the mentally insane human can, or just any human (I use to get spankings till I learned to laugh through them which confused my parents).
16, 17. Everyone needs to survive, but one problem, suicide is known among humans, animals aren't always that imaginable. Humans can kill themselves in almost every kind of way, animals aren't stupid, they see danger they run or try to escape, even in an aggressive way sometimes by abandoning their young (such as deer, zebras, monkeys, etc) out of instinct.
18. People are known for taking things against their family's honor, such as being overpowered by love, by dreams and achievements, or doing what's right, etc.
19. I went out with a girl and she didn't defend me in front of her family out of being madly in love for 13 months. Some people, even suicidal give up in defending anything.
20. People, not all, like peaceful serenic living alone, but I guess in this we agree that everyone has a need and want to bond.
21. Some or most want to start conflict, drama, fights, etc. Which both types, peaceful and conflicting people are divided. Not one specific.
22. Some are made followers, and enjoy second place. Second command, second best.
23. Some want to be ignorant of what's really out there, and grow and teach what they believe and want (we have a lot of that among anybody, groups aren't limited).
24. It's always been popular among some humans to enjoy the outcast, the law breaker. Some are put in a position by society, groups, or people.
25. This is true, teaching youngsters is a good feeling.
26. That's completely changeable in any circumstance, animals don't want to smile (if they can) when their predator is chasing them. But humans can laugh in fear by independent choice.
27. Sharing is not very common among sinful men sometimes.
28. That's not an instinct, that's facial expressions.
29, 30. Curiosity was always built in man, some animals get curious, but their attention span doesn't last for that one thing unlike a man, and his dreams and goals in life.
31. Interactions comes through almost anything, so this is actually natural, but I wouldn't classify it in very instinct as well.
32. Some people are afraid to see the bigger world, or discovering something new (example is people thinking the world was flat, in that, no one was brave enough to sail the seas except explorers and such)
33. Curiosity. A given, not an instinct.
34. Improvement and growth isn't an instinct.
35. Read posts before this one of the same matter.
36. Some choose others to do that for them, some with lots of money as well. Brings some people to the lack of doing. Being unorganized.
37. Not an instinct, but a gift. Some children never hear stories or even teach them. Literature and education in modern society has.helped and improved our mentality.
38. Music isn't an instinct.
With all this being said, we see humans are divided mainly in two or more options in almost everything. We cannot specify one general thing for the average human when numbers for opposing sides change throughout the ages, and number of people participating in a certain "culture" which also effectively goes against instinct.
We don't have instinct, we have influence. Influence is exponential or gradual [expanding, drastically changing, not in order], instinct is finite and limited [kept within perimeters].