According to Biological psychology, humans (and animals, etc.) are born with innate or native mental structures and behavior. This idea proposes that these structures and behaviors need not be acquired through experience, but rather, are something that is native to the body from the start - not needing to be taught or felt through the senses. This also means that various structures of the brain are set-up pre-birth be "in-charge" of certain aspects of behavior. .
The idea of nativism exemplifies Darwin's ideas of survival of the fittest, stating that the strongest, or "fittest", of each generation survive. As evolution progresses, those with weaker behavior and mental structures are less likely to reproduce, according to Darwin, and will eventually be wiped out. However, the stronger of the race lives on. Those with quicker reactions to threat and a more prominent sexuality will continue to reproduce. The mental structures and behavior of those who are strong, are then passed down to further generations and, therefore, are pre-wired or innate. .
Darwin's ideas help to further prove that instinctual reactions to threat, sexuality and pain are passed through generations. Although sexuality may not be a noticeable behavior earlier in childhood, it is something which matures over time. Pain, Biological psychology explains, is something that one does not need to experience in order to understand. This means, that if a person was left alone after birth, and were then shot in the leg later in life, they would still feel pain. They would not need to be taught the feeling of a gun-shot wound before the incident. The urge to reproduce, in addition, is also something which does not need to be taught.
Biological psychology argues that most ideas, mental structures and behavior are native to the human race.
