Indeed, psychologists are still busy discussing whether man has very few instincts or whether, on the contrary, he appears to have few because he really has so many that, in practice, they keep interfering with one another all the time.

In support of the latter view, it has been recently suggested by Mr.
McDougall that the best test of the instincts that we have is to be found in the specific emotions.

He believes that every instinctive process consists of an afferent part or message, a central part, and an efferent part or discharge.

At its two ends the process is highly plastic.

Message and discharge, to which thought and will correspond, are modified in their type as experience matures.