[Evbn]

If every member of a species behaves the same way (eating a lot and falling asleep), it is instinct. If we see diversity and individual creativity (ordering midwinter delivery, building a freezer, barricading the door, planting a garden), it is planning ahead, on top of a simpler instinct.

[yogar]

Challenging reply. Are we all then using freezers from instinct? We have not all created it but I would say we "consciously" decided to buy one. Do common behaviors become instinct? What is the difference between instinct and social norms? Also diversity may exist within the same class of instinctive expression (e.g. fear could mean running away or freezing.)

[Shorel]

>What is the difference between instinct and social norms?

Millions of years of natural selection. Social norms are ephemeral, while instinct is backed up by genetic support.

However, lots of stuff in our lives are a mix of both, so the answer is: let's study feral children!