Our behaviours have long been associated with a lot of factors, of which became very significant through the course of time, in the advent of scientific explorations of different aspects relative to humans, are its biological foundations. When I was still in my elementary years, I never thought of such things like brain, the hormones and the like, or hmm... maybe, I was not just paying attention or interested to these things for I didn’t find their relevance to my needs, anyway, that was not until my mentor in Grade 6 science came across on a topic about Nervous System. As far as I can remember, she was only discussing the parts of the brain and their respective functions, not even imparting to us what do those discourses are all about, I mean, what is the applicability or bearing of those things. Realizing though, maybe, she’s thinking that the rest won’t appreciate the things I was demanding her to give. Anyway, that was my first encounter, I guess, with the parts of the brain.
Entering high school life, I had difficulties dealing with my mental faculties. It was just that, during these years, especially for one who’s physically and mentally discernibly growing, lots of needs arise. To cope with these demands, I personally found a hard time muddling through the ways how could I be good with one thing for an instance that I myself knew I have never been good at. A case in point, I had this teacher in English who’s always requiring us to submit a written report of a particular reading in our textbook. As far as I’m concerned, she was known to pay more interest to the designs and presentations of our projects. Unfortunately, I’m not that creative and my only way to express my insights is through writing. I start wondering then, why is that I can’t be artistic when in fact my mother is. My mother told me about what her late father (medical doctor) said to her, actually I can’t remember the exact words, anyway, it was like we are governed by these genes that maybe not that apparent to dominate over some other and that our capabilities are presided over by our brain. Pondering on those ideas, I decided to look for a medical book and surprisingly, I found out that there exist two hemispheres of our brain. And that I should have no worries if I can’t make things creatively and doubt that my right brain is not working for they in fact work hand in hand, as an integrated organ. It’s just that like genes, one can be dominant over the other. Back to my first year experience, knowing my being incompetent in artistic processing, I dwell on my writing skills and poof! I even got the highest mark on the subject.
Equipped with such information, my “why is that” inquires were eased off. Mind set, there are indeed lots of factors associated with who we are, how we respond to things, what makes us or why are we like such. Of great value, the biological perspective can increase our understanding to our undertakings regarding aforementioned inquests. It’s like unless we distinguish the very nature, concepts, relationships and organization of each and every element of our brain that we will fully appreciate these prevailing reasons why we have varying capabilities, of which most of the time are not superficially working.
Allow me to include, I have just recalled this line from my facilitator in Biology summer class in high school, she told us boys whenever we are to express some words of endearment to our beloved, it will always be wrong to say “I love you from the bottom of my heart” for it should be, “I love you from the bottom of my hypothalamus”. Laugh, but it is not overworked, the usual line might be. Funny as it may seem, but it is truly our brain which controls even our emotions. Wow...
Image used fr http://www.depressedchild.org/treatment/treatment.htm
