Core Assumptions of the Biological Approach
Ever wondered why you act the way you do? The biological approach reckons it's all down to evolution, brain structure, and chemicals floating around in your head.
Evolutionary influences suggest that behaviours helping us survive get passed down through generations. Think about how parents will do absolutely anything to protect their children - this altruistic behaviour exists because it helped our ancestors' genes survive and spread.
Your brain isn't just one big blob - different areas have specific jobs through localisation of brain functions. The frontal lobe handles your creativity and personality, whilst the temporal lobe processes memory and hearing. When things go wrong in specific areas, you get predictable problems like Broca's area damage (can't speak but understand) or Wernicke's area damage (can speak but it's complete gibberish).
Neurotransmitters are the brain's chemical messengers that make everything work. Too little serotonin leads to depression and sleep problems, whilst too much dopamine is linked to schizophrenia. It's like having the wrong fuel mixture in your car - everything starts running badly.
Quick Tip: Remember that neurons communicate at synapses using chemical messengers, not electrical signals between cells.





