There was a recent experiment done to evaluate how we "think" and take actions. In a way it was to determine and define what we are talking about : our instinc.

Some time ago there was a general idea that our thoughts where generated in the outer layers of our brain and then "moved" inwards, where we would finally make the final decision.

A study (that I will research again and provide the link for) showed exatcly the opposite.
All of our thoughts are made in the inner part of our brain (lizard brain), or where the subconscious layers are located. Then our thought travels outwards and cross all of our conscious layers, where the decision get's analyzed by our conscience, will power, and knowledge. As it's going through these layers we ultimately have the last option to listen to this thought or to ignore it.

The test was created in order to eliminate the thought processing from the conscious layers and determine if the subconscius layer could in fact make general day to day decisions besides running our life supporting system.

20 people, unaware of the specifics of the test, where called to an office builiding. In two different rooms there where cubicals and only in one of these rooms the cubical contained some lemon scented cleaning fluid in a bowl, locked in a closet.
They asked 10 people to go in the room with the cleaning fluid and 10 to go in the room without and to fill the same exact questionary. They all thought that the quiz was the test they where called upon for, but little did they know that the test had just started as they finished the quiz.
All 20 where then asked to join the crew in the brake room, where they offered deliscious cookies. They didn't notice the wall cameras and the crew taking notes as they ate the cookies.
Turned out that all of the 10 people that had the test in the room with the cleaning liquid, gathered up their cookie crumbs from the tables and put them in the trash.
Again they where asked to fill the same quiz... only the two groups where switched. And again, later in the brake room, only the 10 people that where in the room with the cleaning liquid, cleaned up after themselves.

I've always been interested in our brain and how it works and I am a strong believer that our brain is ment to do much more than what we are used to. But to keep this argument going, I remember also reading about a ball park figure that was used to explain another aspect of our instincts.
4 millions bits of information per day is the assumed amount that our conscious brain is able to capture and analyze, while in our daily routine we are bombarded by over 8 billions of them. It has been tested that our subconscious brain is able to process a lot more information in the same day.
So that instinct, that sixth sense, that Gut Feeling... could just be your subconscious brain letting you know about something that it has picked up, and you have missed.

Also, consider that a scan of our brain showes that during a normal day our brain looks almost a sleep.. with little activity. While we sleep the scans show our brain on heavyload. What could this mean about our daily life? What is the significance of realizing that 1) we are mostly asleep during the day 2) that our subconscious is really making the decisions for us 3) There are an almost infinite amounts of information that we just don't see, understand, process and ingnore all together... ???

A sports science program on TV showed that (unlike what we thuoght) listening is faster than seeing. Even if the image get's to our eyes at the speed of light, it takes a long time for the image to be processed and analized before our brain reacts to it. While when you hear a sound, there is a lot less analizing and processing to it that your brain can react to it an estimated 10 times faster!!!
So could it be that some of our instincs are driven by subtle sounds, almost unheareble, that our brain files as "danger" ?

There is alot that we don't know and all of it is fascinating to me.