Why do Humans lack so much instinct?

learning requires time, short-lived species not have, terrestrial vertebrates, humans, have in abundance. works insects or reptiles have instinctual patterns of behavior not animals capable of leaning many patterns of behavior can adapt needed.

instinct provides entire behavioral routines direct organism find food or how hide predators because organism lives in same type of habitat same type of predators. instincts elaborate versions of reflexive drives follow short neural arcs trigger set series of behaviors. fail when organism finds in different habitat because instincts have little room variation.

hognose snake instinctively plays dead. snake roll on , open mouth tongue hanging out. stay limp when picked up. if place right side up, snake flop right on , play dead. may fool predator not eat nonliving prey find amusing snake stuck instinctive response of playing dead roll dead pose repeatedly fooling no 1 can think. after dead snakes cannot keep roiling on once dead. snake cannot modify routine.

species longer life spans have developmental time parental care allow learning while protected.

reflexes , instinctual behavior patterns not same thing. humans have reflexes infants simple motor reflex arcs such infant's rooting response touch on cheek. infant automatically responds, opens mouth , turns stimulus. if milk found there involuntary sucking/swallowing reflex. both of these reflexes vanish infant gains brain functions , voluntary end of first year. infant reflexive behavior exists before infants have ability control own movement or understand need move in ways. these reflexes make possible parents raise young otherwise helpless @ first.

other reflexes remain throughout life. reflexive things pulling hand away pain hard-wired not details explaining might cause pain. have learn causes pain can adapt situations. instinct details included entire instinctive behavior not require learning.

humans have fight or flight learn have less reaction, other heightened heart rate , jump under situations since meet predators wanting eat us. have linked acoustic reaction sudden startling sounds produces eye blink redirects gaze sound source , turns ears in mammals mobile ears. less obvious sound causes motor function drives reaction signal "twitch" limbs, making them ready leap away should sight of predator found.

horses startle, choose flee secondary behavior reaction pattern, having located threat. startle response same humans initially. being herbivores have different pattern of secondary behavior options omnivore human.

horses can learn not flee when startled part of training, in establishing trust handler.

for example child put hand fire, have told not so. other animals on other hand.

humans lack fight or flight reflex ...

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