Abstract: On criticizing behaviorism and traditional theories of instinct, Maslow put forward the important concept of "instinctoid", which is a key postulation in his theory of need. This article stresses the theoretical consequences of this key concept in Maslow's theory of need and those of his psychological theory, and lists some results of genetic and psychological researches which support directly or indirectly his concept of "instinctoid". At the end of the article the author points out the theoretical implications of this concept, particularly the significance of its approach to the problems of behavioral and psychological development from the point of view of the integration of human and social factors, a viewpoint which is highly conductive to a profound understanding of human behavior.

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