Final answer:
The hypothalamus regulates emotional behaviors and basic biological needs such as temperature regulation, appetite, blood pressure, and the interface between the nervous and endocrine systems, making option 3) hypothalamus the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The area of the brain that regulates emotional behaviors and basic biological needs is the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is integral to the limbic system which is involved in processing both emotion and memory. It regulates a number of homeostatic processes, including the regulation of body temperature, appetite, and blood pressure.
The hypothalamus serves as an interface between the nervous system and the endocrine system, and it plays a role in the regulation of sexual motivation and behavior. Furthermore, the hypothalamus responds to signals from the amygdala, which is associated with emotions such as fear and anxiety, to stimulate behavioral responses like the sympathetic fight-or-flight response and the release of stress hormones.
In contrast, while the amygdala is involved in the experience of emotion and in tying emotional meaning to our memories, and the limbic system as a whole does regulate emotion and other behaviors, it is specifically the hypothalamus that oversees crucial autonomic functions that satisfy basic biological needs. Therefore, the correct option for the question at hand is 3) hypothalamus.