Biological Approach

Evolutionary Influences:

• Darwin's theory of natural selection. 
• Only small proportion of each gen survives to reproduce. 
• Offspring not identical to parents - each gen degree of variation, each variation heritable (can be passed on through genes).
• Each gen different to gain strength from ancestors to survive and reproduce.
• Characteristics give animals greater chance of survival and reproduction - adaptive
• Natural selection - characteristic survived and passed down - adaptive and must have given animal survival advantage. 

How is altruism adaptive?

• Inherited, adaptive trait. Saving offspring/relative enhances survival of individuals gene pool.
• Adaptive due to understanding how to save offspring as our environment changes e.g. third world countries vs. first world countries.
• If altruism is present and largely at play in a child's development their offspring are more likely to survive, if a child is in care and does not receive much altruistic care when young they are less likely to survive natural selection.
• Greater chances of survival as they are cared for by their mother. 

*In the past humans may have had a fear of snakes and spiders as they may have been deadly and a potential threat, innate knowledge/phobia to avoid them to survive may be a trait that has lingered around from our ancestors. 

To understand the functions of the brain we must understand the environment in which the brain evolved. Humans evolving 2 million - 100,000 years ago. 

Enviornment of evolutionary adaptiveness (EEA). 

Humans have adapted from the enviornment our ancestors faced. 

Localisation of Brain Function:

• 2 halves of the brain are called hemispheres.
• There are roughly 100 billion neurons in the brain and spinal cord.

4 lobes:

• Cerebral cortex divided into 4 regions. 
• Frontal lobe - thinking and creativity - linked to personality. 
• Pariateal lobe - receives sensory information - touch, temp, pain etc.
• Temporal lobe - much of memory processing, processing auditory info.
• Occipital lobe - visual processing, receives info direct from eyes. 
• Cerebral cortex- area responsible for higher order cognitive functions.
• Left hemisphere posterior portion of frontal lobe responsible for speech production - Broca's area. 
• Posterior portion of left temporal lobe responsible for understanding language…