Biological Approach: Three Key Assumptions

Evolutionary influences help explain why our minds work the way they do today. Just like Darwin's natural selection gave giraffes long necks to reach food, humans developed big brains to handle complex social situations. The people who were best at forming alliances and relationships were more likely to survive and pass on these traits.

The environment of evolutionary adaptiveness (EEA) is basically the ancient environment that shaped our brains. This explains why we still have some reactions that made sense thousands of years ago but might seem odd now - like why you might feel anxious in crowds or why gossip spreads so quickly.

Localisation of brain function means different parts of your brain handle different jobs. Your frontal lobes control personality and creativity, whilst your temporal lobes deal with memory and hearing. The famous case of Phineas Gage, who survived having an iron rod go through his skull, proved this - his personality completely changed because the rod damaged his frontal lobe.

Neurotransmitters are your brain's chemical messengers that affect everything from mood to memory. Serotonin controls mood, sleep, and appetite - when you don't have enough, it can lead to depression. That's why many antidepressants work by boosting serotonin levels in your brain.

Quick Tip: Remember the three assumptions as "Evolution, Location, Communication" - how we evolved, where brain functions are located, and how brain chemicals communicate.