herd instinct
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Legal, Financial, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
instinct
[in´stinkt]a complex of unlearned responses characteristic of a species. adj., adj instinc´tive.
death instinct Freud's concept of an unconscious drive toward dissolution and death, in opposition to the life instinct.
herd instinct the instinct or urge to be one of a group and to conform to its standards of conduct and opinion.
life instinct Freud's concept of all the constructive tendencies of the organism aimed at maintenance and perpetuation of the individual and species, in opposition to the death instinct.
herd in·stinct
tendency or inclination to band together with and share the customs of others of a group, and to conform to the opinions and adopt the views of the group.
Synonym(s): social instinct
herd instinct
Etymology: ME, heord + L, instinctus, impulse
the basic need of social animals, including humans, for the companionship of peers and a tendency to find compatibility with the behavioral standards of others in the group.
herd in·stinct
(hĕrd in'stingkt)Tendency or inclination to band together with and share the customs of others of a group, and to conform to the opinions and adopt the views of the group.
instinct
a complex of unlearned responses characteristic of a species.
herd instinct
the instinct or urge to be one of a group and to conform to its patterns of behavior.