Impulse vs. Instinct — What's the Difference?

An impelling force; an impetus.

Instinct is the inherent inclination of a living organism towards a particular complex behaviour, containing both innate (inborn) and learned elements. The simplest example of an instinctive behavior is a fixed action pattern (FAP), in which a very short to medium length sequence of actions, without variation, are carried out in response to a corresponding clearly defined stimulus.

The motion produced by such a force.

An inborn pattern of behavior that is characteristic of a species and is often a response to specific environmental stimuli

A sudden wish or urge that prompts an unpremeditated act or feeling; an abrupt inclination

A powerful motivation or impulse.

A motivating force or tendency

An innate capability or aptitude

(Electronics) A surge of electrical power in one direction.

Deeply filled or imbued

(Physics) The product obtained by multiplying the average value of a force by the time during which it acts. The impulse equals the change in momentum produced by the force in this time interval.

(Obsolete) Impelled from within.

(Physiology) The electrochemical transmission of a signal along a nerve fiber that produces an excitatory or inhibitory response at a target tissue, such as a muscle or another nerve.

A natural or inherent impulse or behaviour.

Characterized by impulsiveness or acting on impulse

An intuitive reaction not based on rational conscious thought.

A thrust; a push; a sudden force that impels.

(archaic) Imbued, charged (with something).

A wish or urge, particularly a sudden one prompting action.

Urged or stimulated from within; naturally moved or impelled; imbued; animated; alive; quick; as, birds instinct with life.

(physics) The integral of force over time.

Natural inward impulse; unconscious, involuntary, or unreasoning prompting to any mode of action, whether bodily, or mental, without a distinct apprehension of the end or object to be accomplished.

(transitive) To impel; to incite.

Specif., the natural, unreasoning, impulse by which an animal is guided to the performance of any action, without thought of improvement in the method.

The act of impelling, or driving onward with sudden force; impulsion; especially, force so communicated as to produced motion suddenly, or immediately.

A natural aptitude or knack; a predilection; as, an instinct for order; to be modest by instinct.

The effect of an impelling force; motion produced by a sudden or momentary force.

To impress, as an animating power, or instinct.

The action of a force during a very small interval of time; the effect of such action; as, the impulse of a sudden blow upon a hard elastic body.

Inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli;

A mental force which simply and directly urges to action; hasty inclination; sudden motive; momentary or transient influence of appetite or passion; propension; incitement; as, a man of good impulses; passion often gives a violent impulse to the will; to buy something on impulse.

(followed by `with')deeply filled or permeated;

To impel; to incite.

An instinctive motive;

A sudden desire;

The electrical discharge that travels along a nerve fiber;

(electronics) a sharp transient wave in the normal electrical state (or a series of such transients);

The act of applying force suddenly;

An impelling force or strength;