Instinct vs. Impulsive Responses

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phillybudd
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Instinct vs. Impulsive Responses

Postby phillybudd » Feb 12, 2011 6:08 am

Chris et al,

I find the Dramatica definitions of Instinct and Impulsive Responses to be so similar that I'm having trouble distinguishing them. In fact in Peter Shaffer's analysis of "Amadeus" on the dramatica.com website he uses them almost interchangeably.

Overall Story Signpost 2 as it relates to Impulsive Responses:

Mozart's behavior is unthinking, selfish, instinctive and thoroughly irritating to those around him. He cannot help himself, and those around him have just as immediate reflexive responses to him. They can't stand him. He is vulgar, conceited, rude, and insulting.

At the same time, his music is just as instinctive. As Salieri describes it, "It seemed to me I had heard a voice of God..." Mozart's music is something mystical that comes from beyond himself. And Salieri is the only one who can hear it for what it is. And it is Salieri's instinctive response, his instinctive understanding that Mozart's music is so rare that drives Salieri to the edge of despair.


I'm hoping you can shed some light on where the meaning of these two terms differ.

Jeff

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Chris Huntley
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Re: Instinct vs. Impulsive Responses

Postby Chris Huntley » Feb 12, 2011 9:20 am

Instincts are something with which you are born. Impulsive Responses are your mind's filters and can be built and torn down.

You'll find there are lots of terms that are close in definition, but you must also consider the context in which they appear in the structure, as well as the context of the story points in which they are used.

Impulsive Responses are similar to Instincts in many ways. However, they are at different levels in the structure. Impulsive Responses, i.e. the Preconscious, is at the Type level and therefore more closely tied to plot. Instinct is at the Variation level, which is more closely tied to theme. Also, look to each item's dynamic pair for clarification.

Impulsive Responses (Preconscious) is the dynamic pair of Innermost Desires (Subconscious), and shares the same quad with Memories and Contemplations (Conscious). As such, Impulsive Responses are part of the mechanisms of the mind (Fixed Attitude), and is comprised of Truth Falsehood, Evidence and Suspicion.

By comparison, Instinct is the dynamic pair of Conditioning, and shares the same quad with Senses and Interpretation. It is best understood in terms of Activities, particularly as part of Understanding.

So, my round about answer to your question is that there may be strong similarities in the definitions of Instinct and Impulsive Responses, but where you use them are as much as the definition as their inherent qualities.
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phillybudd
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Re: Instinct vs. Impulsive Responses

Postby phillybudd » Feb 12, 2011 10:32 am

Thanks Chris. I did understand that is a Type and the other a Variation. But the idea of looking at the other items in the quad to help hone in on the meaning (in context) is something I (stupidly) didn't think of!

Jeff


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