A natural, built-in way of behaving or reacting that does not require learning or conscious thought.
From Latin 'instinctus' meaning 'impulse, instinct', from 'instinguere' (to impel, incite), related to 'instigare' (to urge on). It originally suggested being driven from within.
Instincts are like your species’ long-term memory, hard-coded into your nervous system. The twist is that modern life changes faster than instincts do, so reactions that once kept us alive can now cause anxiety or overreactions.
Women’s judgments have often been framed as “instinct” or “mother’s intuition,” which can both valorize and diminish them by implying they are non-rational and less suited to formal decision-making. Meanwhile, men’s rapid judgments are more often labeled as expertise or strategic thinking.
Avoid using “instinct” in ways that dismiss women’s expertise as merely intuitive. When relevant, connect instinct to experience and knowledge across all genders.
["intuition","automatic response","deeply learned pattern"]
Highlight how women’s so-called instincts often reflect accumulated expertise in domains like caregiving, community organizing, and professional practice, even when not formally acknowledged.
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