Is this an Human Instinct?

Dargos · Post by **Dargos** » 2002-11-14 06:43am

How often have you read in a news paper something along the lines of

"TWO MEN DROWN TRYING TO SAVE CHILD"

What is it that drives humans to risk injury or even death to help others in danger.
When someone gets lost in the mountains or deserts hundreds search for the lost and often several would be rescueers die in attempt. But the next time someone is lost hundreds would gladly go looking for them again? Why is that?

I can understand risking ones life for family( I know I would rush into a burning building to save my sons...I KNOW everyone else would in the same situation) But risking ones life for strangers, what can explain this human quirk?

data_link · Post by **data_link** » 2002-11-14 06:48am

Dunno. It probably has something to do with the pack instinct - trying to preserve the other members of your own social group. More importantly, it underlines the basic human inability to understand probability - in most of the situations you mentioned, you are more likely to die trying than you are to be successful.

Post by **haas mark** » 2002-11-14 06:55am

Instinctual need for survival. Protecting the young, on top of that.

Post by **weemadando** » 2002-11-14 07:06am

I watched a guy I know suddenly jump into revolving door and let it semi-crush him, as a kid was sitting there and about to be caught in it. He held it enough that the kid escaped before someone noticed and hit the emergency stop on the door.

I think it has a lot more to do with protecting the young, than to do with protection of the pack. You don't often read of people dying while trying to save a middle aged man/woman unless they are immediate family. The need to reproduce manifests itself in protection of the young. Well, thats my opinion.

Post by **Lagmonster** » 2002-11-14 08:25am

Infants are cute.

Did you ever notice that? All baby mammals are adorable to us. We instinctively want to protect them. Baby kittens, puppies, even sheep and piglets and mice retain a certain adorable nature to them as infants (something Hollywood has used to great length in many, many movies like Babe).

Cuteness is, basically, a survival trait for animals not able to function on their own until they are more fully grown. *Everyone* feels more strongly about protecting baby mammals of all kinds than full grown adults.

Zoink · Post by **Zoink** » 2002-11-14 08:42am

Ya, like everyone said. Consider:

Person 1: Sacrifices himself to save his kid.

Person 2: Let's his kid die, because he's not willing to risk his own life.

Who's kid would most likely survive to reproduce?

Dargos · Post by **Dargos** » 2002-11-14 09:00am

Everyone seems to be limiting the human desire to save someone just to childeren. How about the examples of lost ADULTS in the mountans. Happens all the time, yet there is never a shortage of voulenteers who risk life and limb to find them. Why?

Post by **weemadando** » 2002-11-14 09:03am

Dargos wrote:Everyone seems to be limiting the human desire to save someone just to childeren. How about the examples of lost ADULTS in the mountans. Happens all the time, yet there is never a shortage of voulenteers who risk life and limb to find them. Why?

Actually the majority of the time those adults who go searching are well-trained, equipped and coordinated. They aren't diving infront of vehicles to shove an infant out of the way.

Completely different situation.

hvb · Post by **hvb** » 2002-11-18 01:33pm

Natural Selection again (but another angle on it):

Rescuing people lost in mountains demonstrates a competence.

Demonstration of a competence, or a surplus to do things that are not neccesary for survival (peacochs growing tail feathers, humans posting on a website or holding down a prestigious/high-paying job), increases the chance of getting noticed by a potential partner and thus producing offspring.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 2002-11-18 04:08pm

Dargos wrote:How often have you read in a news paper something along the lines of

"TWO MEN DROWN TRYING TO SAVE CHILD"

What is it that drives humans to risk injury or even death to help others in danger.
When someone gets lost in the mountains or deserts hundreds search for the lost and often several would be rescueers die in attempt. But the next time someone is lost hundreds would gladly go looking for them again? Why is that?

I can understand risking ones life for family( I know I would rush into a burning building to save my sons...I KNOW everyone else would in the same situation) But risking ones life for strangers, what can explain this human quirk?

It is called Altruism. It is a voluntary, selfless act that benefits other members of society. You do not expect nor desire any compensation. In otherwords, "out of the kindness of my heart."

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2002-11-18 04:49pm

I'd say part of it is natural, but some just do it because they want to be a hero, or they don't like suffering and want to help. I heard of a story of a guy that had to break into a laundromat, severing an artery in the process, to save a child from drowning in one of the washing machines.

In ST they don't do that stuff because of the "prime detective", while in some states, it's mandatory to help in any way when you're on the highway and see a wreck.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » 2002-11-19 08:34am

weemadando wrote:
Dargos wrote:Everyone seems to be limiting the human desire to save someone just to childeren. How about the examples of lost ADULTS in the mountans. Happens all the time, yet there is never a shortage of voulenteers who risk life and limb to find them. Why?
Actually the majority of the time those adults who go searching are well-trained, equipped and coordinated. They aren't diving infront of vehicles to shove an infant out of the way.

Completely different situation.

WMA is right - the factors leading to a measured decision to search for someone are rather different from the reflexive attempts to keep a child from harm.

The thing with humans is not that we don't have instincts, but rather, that we have an enormous shitload of them - and many of our reactions are due to complex combinations of these instincts. Once you throw our capacity for abstract reasoning into the mix. . . well, I suspect you'd find as many different motives as you find volunteers.

In a more general sense though, it can be traced to the concept of reciprocity: if you were lost in the woods, wouldn't you like it if people came looking for you? So if someone is lost in the woods and you recognise them as part of your 'group', at least some of your instincts will be pushing you to help search for them. Whether or not you do volunteer will depend on the balance between those instincts, your other instincts, and your abstract reasoning.

Skorpion Stryke · Post by **Skorpion Stryke** » 2002-11-19 07:51pm

Lagmonster wrote:Infants are cute.

Did you ever notice that? All baby mammals are adorable to us. We instinctively want to protect them. Baby kittens, puppies, even sheep and piglets and mice retain a certain adorable nature to them as infants (something Hollywood has used to great length in many, many movies like Babe).

Cuteness is, basically, a survival trait for animals not able to function on their own until they are more fully grown. *Everyone* feels more strongly about protecting baby mammals of all kinds than full grown adults.

I think certain baby spider species are cute does that make me protective of arachnids or does that just make me insane?

data_link · Post by **data_link** » 2002-11-19 07:52pm

Skorpion Stryke wrote:
Lagmonster wrote:Infants are cute.

Did you ever notice that? All baby mammals are adorable to us. We instinctively want to protect them. Baby kittens, puppies, even sheep and piglets and mice retain a certain adorable nature to them as infants (something Hollywood has used to great length in many, many movies like Babe).

Cuteness is, basically, a survival trait for animals not able to function on their own until they are more fully grown. *Everyone* feels more strongly about protecting baby mammals of all kinds than full grown adults.
I think certain baby spider species are cute does that make me protective of arachnids or does that just make me insane?

That makes you hungry.

data_link · Post by **data_link** » 2002-11-19 07:53pm

Lagmonster wrote:Infants are cute.

Did you ever notice that? All baby mammals are adorable to us. We instinctively want to protect them. Baby kittens, puppies, even sheep and piglets and mice retain a certain adorable nature to them as infants (something Hollywood has used to great length in many, many movies like Babe).

Cuteness is, basically, a survival trait for animals not able to function on their own until they are more fully grown. *Everyone* feels more strongly about protecting baby mammals of all kinds than full grown adults.

Actually, I have observed that most babies are ugly as hell. Does that make me a sadistic bastard?

Exonerate · Post by **Exonerate** » 2002-11-19 07:54pm

Yeah, I think it's a instinct... Its what evolution built into us... Greatly increases the chances of our species surviving.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2002-11-19 11:21pm

Exonerate wrote:Yeah, I think it's a instinct... Its what evolution built into us... Greatly increases the chances of our species surviving.

Probably. Somehow I don't think that a woman wants some ugly ass thing sucking her tits.

Which is probably why I don't get any.

Post by **Vympel** » 2002-11-19 11:24pm

Human babies are incredibly ugly IMO- until they reach the age of about 18 months. Baby animals are far cuter.

data_link · Post by **data_link** » 2002-11-19 11:59pm

neoolong wrote:
Exonerate wrote:Yeah, I think it's a instinct... Its what evolution built into us... Greatly increases the chances of our species surviving.
Probably. Somehow I don't think that a woman wants some ugly ass thing sucking her tits.

Which is probably why I don't get any.

No, the reason that you don't get any is because they don't realize how incredibly sexy you are.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2002-11-20 12:01am

data_link wrote:
neoolong wrote:
Exonerate wrote:Yeah, I think it's a instinct... Its what evolution built into us... Greatly increases the chances of our species surviving.
Probably. Somehow I don't think that a woman wants some ugly ass thing sucking her tits.

Which is probably why I don't get any.
No, the reason that you don't get any is because they don't realize how incredibly sexy you are.

I don't even want to know.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2002-11-20 01:13am

data_link wrote:
neoolong wrote:
Exonerate wrote:Yeah, I think it's a instinct... Its what evolution built into us... Greatly increases the chances of our species surviving.
Probably. Somehow I don't think that a woman wants some ugly ass thing sucking her tits.

Which is probably why I don't get any.
No, the reason that you don't get any is because they don't realize how incredibly sexy you are.

Thanks. Of course, that would be a whole lot nicer if you were female. But I'll take what I can get. Praise wise, you sicko.

StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Is this an Human Instinct?

Is this an Human Instinct?

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