Final answer:
Instinctual behaviors are inherited and shaped by evolution, while learned behaviors are influenced by the environment and individual experiences. Both genetic inheritance and environmental factors contribute to the development of behaviors, with epigenetics highlighting how traits can change and be inherited over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Instinctual behaviors are inherited behaviors that have been shaped over time by evolutionary processes, whereas learned behaviors are influenced by environmental changes and individual experiences. Instinctual behaviors can include inherited responses such as mating systems and methods of communication that are essential for survival and reproduction.
On the other hand, learned behaviors may involve conditioning and cognitive learning, which allow an organism to adapt to new environmental stimuli and can be based on experiences such as imprinting and habituation. Behavioral responses come from a complex interplay between genetic inheritance and environmental exposure. Through epigenetics, it is evident that certain traits can be affected within an individual's lifetime and can be passed down to future generations, reflecting real-time evolution.
This demonstrates the connection between behaviors, genetics, and the cultural environment, giving rise to a collective unconscious and common psychological tendencies. However, it's important to note that not all behaviors are strictly genetic.
For example, migration patterns can also be learned from older generations through the process of observation and mimicry. Thus, both genetic factors and life experiences contribute to the way organisms, including humans, behave.