TITLE:
Human Psychological Characteristics versus Animal Characteristics
AUTHORS:
Arnulf Kolstad
KEYWORDS:
Biology; Culture; Lower Psychological Functions; Higher Psychological Functions; Cultural Tools; Language; Thought
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.4 No.5,
May
22,
2013
ABSTRACT: The role of biology in psychology changes from animals to humans. Biology determines animal behaviour in natural environments. For humans the biological forces changes to an energizing function. They recede in the background and the higher psychological functions govern consciousness and behavior. Humans do not have to obey the instincts or reflexes, but have the option to do what they decide to do after reflecting on the alternatives. No other species have this ability to the same degree. The difference between Homo sapiens and other species in this regard is not only a distinction in degree it is a distinction in principle. To understand development of language in its relation to thought, consciousness and volatile behavior is essential.