This book examines the primal forces that drive human behavior within the context of modern science and philosophical inquiry. It sets the stage for a deep dive into human instincts, positing them as fundamental forces sculpting the human saga from its evolutionary roots to current complexities. The volume addresses distinct facets of human instincts, from biological underpinnings to manifestations in contemporary life, methodological approaches to study, and ethical considerations regarding future research. The book elucidates the complexity and dynamism of instincts by integrating perspectives across disciplines, providing a profound appreciation of the invisible forces that drive human behavior and society.

Key areas of coverage include:

• The genetic, neurobiological, hormonal, and etiological aspects that constitute the basis of instinctual behavior.
• Primary instincts crucial for individual survival and propagation, including mechanisms behind fight-or-flight responses, sexual selection, parental attachment, food seeking, and sleep cycles.
• How instincts foster complex social behaviors, such as empathy, social hierarchy, fairness, and communication.
• Instincts that drive cognitive and emotional landscapes, including curiosity, belief systems, fear response, aggression, and the pursuit of pleasure.
• Challenges and transformations of instinctual behaviors in the modern world, including ways in which instincts are leveraged and disrupted by addiction, cooperative work, cultural practices, and technological advancements.

The Handbook of Human Instincts is an essential reference for researchers, professors, graduate students as well as clinicians and related professionals across developmental, clinical, cognitive, and evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, cultural anthropology, philosophy, neurobiology, medical ethics and bioethics, education, and all related disciplines.

Sam Goldstein, Ph.D., is a neuropsychologist specializing in school psychology, child development, and neuropsychology. Licensed in Utah, he is a certified Developmental Disabilities evaluator, board-certified Pediatric Neuropsychologist, and a Fellow of leading neuropsychology and cerebral palsy academies. He has served as Assistant Clinical Instructor in Psychiatry and has directed a private multidisciplinary team addressing neurological, learning, and behavioral issues since 1980. Dr. Goldstein is on staff at the University Neuropsychiatric Institute and has contributed to the Craniofacial Team and Developmental Disabilities Clinic at the University of Utah. A prolific author, Dr. Goldstein has written or edited over 50 publications, including 21 textbooks on behavior, ADHD, resilience, and learning disabilities, and the Clinician Guide to Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (2024). He has developed a dozen psychological tests. He has also collaborated extensively, producing seminal works on resilience, classroom management, autism, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Robert Brooks, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist who has served on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and is the former Director of the Department of Psychology at McLean Hospital.  He has lectured nationally and internationally and written extensively about such themes as resilience across the lifespan, education, psychotherapy, parenting, family relationships, and creating positive school and work environments.  He is the author or co-author of 23 books, 36 book chapters, and 36 peer-reviewed articles. Dr. Brooks has received many awards for his work, most recently, The Mental Health Humanitarian Award from William James College for his contributions as a clinician, educator, and author, and the 2023 Trailblazer Award from Worldmaker International in recognition of his contributions “to the field of human resilience and his innovation in creating new pathways for many.”  Dr. Brooks has also served as a consultant to Sesame Street Parents Magazine.