different ways of thinking

This is the place for discussion and voting on various aspects of werewolf life, social ideas, physical appearance, etc. Also a place to vote on how a werewolf should look.
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different ways of thinking

Post by Anubis »

If they are wolf, should they think a little differently. because instead of having primate tenancies. They have Canine tendencies. not exactly sure what they are, but they should be similar. like we are both social animals.

but their are differences like they are predatory animals and hunt prey. should those instincts bring a whole different view of the world. I don't expect Aliens to think like us why should we think like that about werewolves.
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Post by Midnite Wolf »

Not sure I got your question here, but I'll attempt an answer. I think they should have the instincts of the wolf. I mean, if they physically resemble one, they should have the instincts of one as well. If they have a reason to -look- like one, then that same reason why they would react as one would.
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Post by Anubis »

let me try to clarify my self. its like looking at the world with a whole different view. its kinda like autism. the brain works a differently, due to instincts and other factores

instead of a human tackling and looking at a problem in one way but a werewolf could see it very differently.
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Post by Terastas »

Well, as I've said in some other threads, the brain is still predominantly human, but the sensors (eyes, ears, nose etc) are mixed with canine. The human mindset would still be dominant -- they were born and raised human and since humans have a much greater capacity for thought than canines, the human mindset should be dominant over the canine mindset -- but said human mind would now be seeing the world with canine senses, which could result in some more canine behavior.

The human mind should still be in control though, so a werewolf wouldn't demonstrate all canine behaviors. A werewolf might be more prone to sniffing things he otherwise wouldn't, for example, because the werewolf nose is much more potent than his human nose, but the human mind would be able to contain the canine actions that are a result of canine mentality like marking trees or barking at squirrels.

I also understand what you mean about not assuming werewolves think like we do, but as I said before, werewolves are still part human, and apart from the select handful that lose faith in humanity and adopt feral lifestyles, it'd be safe to assume that they could think the same way humans often do.

I say "often" because some mindsets just wouldn't fit the werewolf. Quiet family man, schizoid, calm and compossed or new-age thinker? Sure. Attention w****, obsessive-compulsive, SUV-driving soccer mom or fundamentalist compassionate conservative? Not likely.
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Post by Anubis »

yeah you do bring a good point but i think that the canine half would have more influence over the werewolf.
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Post by Midnite Wolf »

Anubis wrote:yeah you do bring a good point but i think that the canine half would have more influence over the werewolf.
Probably only when more primal emotions and instincts are concerned. Like feeding, mating, etc. When those needs become overwhelming, that is probably when the lupine mindset would become the strongest, I believe.
Also, a wolf would usually avoid situations it isn't used to dealing with. Perhaps if a problem affects the human side, the werewolf's first response would be to avoid it. But the human-aspect would know better. I think.
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Post by Terastas »

I can think of two instances where it would.

1) When they are still inexperienced in being a werewolf and the canine impulses are not yet fully understood.

2) When under pressure and relying more on instinct than logic.

Other than that, I think the five-pound human brain would most often prevail.
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Post by Lupin »

Anubis wrote:yeah you do bring a good point but i think that the canine half would have more influence over the werewolf.

Yeah, but most of the time it would be subtle. Like our own instincts. You don't really notice them but they're there.

I suppose a werewolf would appear a little 'off' to most people, since he's also operating with the canine instincts.
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Post by 00airknight »

you have some instincts you cant control. if i were to poke you in the back you would instantly jump out of instinct without thinking. sometimes you can't control your own instinct and sometimes you can. the same must be true for a were-wolf
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Post by Arlishan »

The insticts on a werewolf should be like ours, as Lupin said before. Just that the werewolf's must be heightened notably and be more canine- sort of. The reactions on a novice lycan should be based in obeying the first instict that appears on the mind and as they adquire experience they learn to control them into a harmony with the human side of the being. That's for me. :wink:
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Post by 00airknight »

Im sure as wws become more experienced they can learn to control their instincts more. just like us. when we were babies we would cry because thats our instinct. but as we get older we can control it more.
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Post by Aki »

00airknight wrote:you have some instincts you cant control. if i were to poke you in the back you would instantly jump out of instinct without thinking. sometimes you can't control your own instinct and sometimes you can. the same must be true for a were-wolf
That isn't instinct, thats a reflex.

Im sure as wws become more experienced they can learn to control their instincts more. just like us. when we were babies we would cry because thats our instinct. but as we get older we can control it more.
Crying isn't a intsinct either, its a emotional response, and for a baby, its a way to communicate. When we grow older it becomes

"I am hungry."

"I soiled myself."

"I am simply and pointlessly crying and completely inconsolable." ( :lol: )

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Post by 00airknight »

ahh good points im glad you caught that. after thinking it through u r absolutely right. wat i need is some rephrasing. birds fly south for winter that is a instinct (plz begin correcting when i need to rephrase somin) that helps it survive because the food might be gone and its too cold. but i wonder. instincts can sometimes help when you are in danger. animals have them y not wws. instincts come naturally and some instincts can be developed (plz correct me if anyone thinks otherwise). Experienced wws might be able to have stronger instinct or reflexs when they feel there is trouble. plz correct that i may rephrase myself again. :D
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Post by Kzinistzerg »

...because, you realise, that instincts are EVOLVED respones that are automatic...
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Post by Grayheart »

I think how a werewolf thinks would depend on the fact if he/she is a born werewolf or a bitten one. I think a born werewolf would be more dependant on its instincts and would consider them more easily when making a decision. A born werewolf knows intuitivly when it is due to trust his/her first instinctivly impulses and would act like they force him/her to do.

So born werewolves could really appear to most humans a little bit 'off' everything or are seen as persons who are not able to control themselves, cause I think a born werewolf would easier follow the instinct to eat when he/she is hungry, although the situation is not 'suitable' (I can't find the right english word for what I'm trying to say, sorry)

A bitten werewolf would first of all have to learn how to use the heightened senses that lead to stronger reactions. Cause if you are hungry and you smell the pretty bloody steak your stomach reacts and your instincts say:eat. I think wolf-scent would lead to a much stronger reaction that a unexperienced werewolf couldn't resist that easily than a born werewolf.
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Post by Moon Daughter »

My thoughts are that born werewolves will have stronger naturally occuring canine thoughts and habits. That's pretty obvious, as said before by Grayheart.

A bitten wereolf would therefore be quite different. They would, per say, have some canine tendencies, but to a lesser degree. In the beginning, when they are new to such wolfish senses, they would most likely seem quite split personalitied, with various levels of ups and downs. I expect this would result from what in psychology is called proactive interference. This means that previously known information, habits, thoughts, and even instincts can interfere with the process of accepting new ones.

That's just what I think. hwlwnk
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Post by Grayheart »

Yeah, I think a bitten werewolf would have - at least in the beginning - a lot of problems with dealing with the strong and new inputs given by his/hers heightened senses. I mean wouldn't it be very difficult to handle for a bitten werewolf -let's imagine it's a male one - to smell a woman who has her fertile days (ughh, what I'm talking about?)?? Even human men can smell this - although it is not on a level of awareness. Some researches showed that men searching a woman for an one night stand almost always choose women who having their fertile days ...

A bitten werewolf who already had problems with this sensitive topic could be scared to his bones of his own reactions to this 'new' dimensions of information ...
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Post by Renorei »

Grayheart wrote:I mean wouldn't it be very difficult to handle for a bitten werewolf -let's imagine it's a male one - to smell a woman who has her fertile days (ughh, what I'm talking about?)??

Ovulation?
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Post by Grayheart »

I think this is the english word, yeah, so yes, I'm talking about ovulation. But with 'ughh, what I'm talking about?' i was referring to my feeling of horror even to mention this topic ...
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Post by Veruth »

I guess pheremones would be a lot more detectable, but would they have the same effect when in another form? It seems like a human brain would respond to human pheremones and the effect would be (like you said) a lot more pronounced, but I'm no expert.
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Post by Fenrir »

Ya I think i sorta know what your talking about. You think that since the Primate part has a more family oriented thing that a Canine brain would want a pack to live with so that they would rather be together as a large group or tribe instead of just as a family.

Wouldn't they also have a great desire for cuning and stratagy over anything else, which would also lead to a desperate need to fight to gain a larger rank in a higher group status thing, so it would sorta be like a Militeristic tribe thing.

Of course i still don't know what your asking
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Post by celtwolf »

well, as i seem to have posted a few times before, i think of tree different personality types amongst werewolves. the ultimate hunter, the animal, and the sheep in wolf's clothing.
the ultimate hunter personality is the sort of personality common amongst humans. 'we are the top of the food chain and everything below us is prey for the slaughter' is the ideology. they prefer to hunt whatever is available, and in quite a few cases, that would be humans.
the animal persoanlity is pretty much that of any animal. 'just leave me alone, i don't want any trouble' sort of ideology. they want nothing more than a homewith their own kind and to live secluded from humanity.
the sheep in wolf's clothing personality is that of a n ormal human that just happens to be a werewolf. they just want to be like everyone else and fit in with humans. they feel more comfortable amongst humans than other werewolves.
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Post by Lone_Wolf »

I agree with a lot of what other people have said about having a bit more canine thinking, but still remaining who they are. The biggest difference I would imagine would be instinctual-- things that they could not control. This includes thoughts due to their increased senses and the like. However, rational thought before and after would likely not change too much. Of course, its difficult for most to even begin to ponder how a were might think.
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Post by Ronkonkoma »

Sensory input does alot for how people see the world and react from what happens around then. after a ww undergoes their first change, they are going to have a sensory Explosion! sight,hearing and smell the biggest things that will change and probably cause alot of confusion for the newbie ww. if they are in a pack they would probably have to be in a room to keep from being overwhelmed by the mass of input their upgraded senses are receiving, and thats where the wolven instincts kick in, to act as a buffer for the human mind from going insane with the flood of scents, smells, sights and sounds that previously couldn't be sensed.
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Post by Celestialwolf »

Terastas wrote:Well, as I've said in some other threads, the brain is still predominantly human, but the sensors (eyes, ears, nose etc) are mixed with canine. The human mindset would still be dominant -- they were born and raised human and since humans have a much greater capacity for thought than canines, the human mindset should be dominant over the canine mindset -- but said human mind would now be seeing the world with canine senses, which could result in some more canine behavior.
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