THE POPULAR IDEA

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 111, 3 February 1934, Page 15

THE POPULAR IDEA

Strongest Human Instinct DOCTOR’S CHALLENGE The belief that the sex instinct is the strongest of human instincts was attacked by Dr. Cyril Burt, professor of psychology, University of London, when lecturing at the Winter School for Health Visitors and School Nurses, which was resumed at Bedford College for Women recently. An enormous s»nount of harm was done, said Dr. Burt, by popular statements which were made to the effect that the sex instinct was so violent that it was difficult for people to withstand the great temptations to which it subjected them. Many people were actually hypnotised into thinking they could, not possibly fight against these temptations. “As a matter of fact, we attach far too much importance to the sex Instinct,” he added, “and people who have been brought up in a medical or biological home are amazed at the nonsense which is talked about the temptations of sex. Actually the sex instinct is a comparatively weak affair in the human race. Instincts that are no longer absolutely necessary tend to weaken and (lie down. Hunger is a much more violent instinct in human beings. You hear people saying that sexual immorality and promiscuity will never be stemmed because the sex instinct is Ni strong, whereas the sex instinct is no more violent than the acquisitive or pugnacious instincts, both of which we have been able to control.” A great deal which was put down to sex was merely curiosity in the child. Regarding the age at which sex instruction should be given, roughly speaking, if a child had been brought up properly the correct time was. when the child asked for it. Dr. Burt thought that fear was one of the things which psychologists would have to discover and treat in the near future. Mrs. C. D. Rackham said that it was generally assumed that unemployment among young people was the cause of much juvenile crime to-day. But she suggested that overwork, together with monotonous and uncongenial work, was just as likely to be the cause, of juvenile crime as lack of work. Thus in this machine age, when much of the work was bound to be monotonous, they should aim at getting hours of labour as short as possible, so that the effect on the young worker was not too bad. They must also provide opportunities for wise and useful leisure.