Interwoven Instincts: The Building Blocks of Social Behavior
Social instincts play a key role in shaping both spontaneous and coordinated behavior within a group. According to one source, even in early childhood, children begin to display forms of social sympathy toward close family members, which becomes an important mechanism for orienting themselves in their social environment. It is noted:"Social sympathy (as well as social antipathy) develops in children very early. Already during the first year of life, children show clear signs of their sympathy toward their father and mother, toward a nanny, family members, and all those who treat them with care. When a child finishes its breastfeeding period, the social environment in which it previously revolved naturally expands; in children’s play, social instincts begin to manifest, serving as a means of orientation within the social tradition and environment. By the fifth or sixth year of life, signs emerge that the child finds the family setting too limited and becomes exceptionally interested in peers." (source: link txt, page: 145)Moreover, social instincts do not operate in isolation; they are closely intertwined with other classes of instincts, such as individual ones (related to the preservation of the individual) and family (domestic) ones. As emphasized in another document:"Let’s move on to review and analyze different types of instinct. In general, all instincts can be divided into the following three main classes: 1) instincts related to the preservation of the individual, 2) instincts related to the preservation of the race, and 3) instincts regarding the relationships between animals—in other words, individual instincts, domestic (or family) instincts, and social instincts." (source: link txt)The interaction of these different classes of instincts ensures the integrity and adaptability of behavior within a group. Preservation instincts allow each individual to care for their own safety, while family instincts foster the basis for trusting and mutually supportive relationships. Social instincts, on the other hand, form emotional bonds aimed at uniting the group, leading to the spontaneous expression of collective reactions and coordinated actions. This mechanism helps the group adapt to changes in the external environment by combining the instinctive responses of each member, enabling a rapid reaction to external challenges and maintaining stability within the community.Thus, the interaction and interweaving of different classes of instincts not only ensures individual survival but also forms the foundation for powerful, spontaneous, and coordinated group behavior, which is crucial for the formation of social traditions and collective activity.Supporting citation(s): "Social sympathy (as well as social antipathy) develops in children very early. Already during the first year of life, children show clear signs of their sympathy toward their father and mother, toward a nanny, family members, and all those who treat them with care. When a child finishes its breastfeeding period, the social environment in which it previously revolved naturally expands; in children’s play, social instincts begin to manifest, serving as a means of orientation within the social tradition and environment. By the fifth or sixth year of life, signs emerge that the child finds the family setting too limited and becomes exceptionally interested in peers." (source: link txt, page: 145)"Let’s move on to review and analyze different types of instinct. In general, all instincts can be divided into the following three main classes: 1) instincts related to the preservation of the individual, 2) instincts related to the preservation of the race, and 3) instincts regarding the relationships between animals—in other words, individual instincts, domestic (or family) instincts, and social instincts." (source: link txt)