Donald O. Hebb

Donald Olding Hebb (July 22, 1904 – August 20, 1985) was a Canadian psychologist who was influential in the area of neuropsychology, where he sought to understand how the function of neurons contributed to psychological processes such as learning. He is best known for his theory of Hebbian learning, which he introduced in his landmark 1949 work, The Organization of Behavior. Hebb's ideas, which were radically innovative at the time, continue to influence the fields of psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience.

Early Life and Education

Donald O. Hebb was born on July 22, 1904, in Chester, Nova Scotia. He was the oldest of four children. Hebb's parents were both physicians, and they influenced his interest in biology and medicine.

Hebb attended Dalhousie University in Halifax, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1925. He then went on to earn a Master's degree in Psychology from McGill University in 1932, and a Ph.D. in Psychology from Harvard University in 1936.

Career

After completing his Ph.D., Hebb taught at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, and then at the University of Chicago. In 1942, he returned to McGill University, where he remained for the rest of his career.

At McGill, Hebb conducted research on various topics in psychology and neuroscience, including the effects of early environmental deprivation on later cognitive development, the role of the frontal lobes in behavior, and the neural basis of learning and memory.

Hebbian Learning

Hebb's most significant contribution to psychology and neuroscience was his theory of Hebbian learning, which he proposed in his 1949 book, The Organization of Behavior. According to this theory, when two neurons are activated simultaneously, the connection between them - and thus their ability to communicate - is strengthened. This idea, often summarized as "cells that fire together, wire together," is considered a foundational principle in the field of neural networks and learning.

Legacy

Hebb's work has had a profound impact on the fields of psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience. His theory of Hebbian learning has been fundamental in our understanding of how the brain learns and remembers, and has influenced the development of models of neural networks and artificial intelligence.

See Also

• Neuropsychology
• Neural Networks
• Artificial Intelligence

References

• Hebb, D. O. (1949). The Organization of Behavior. New York: Wiley.
• Milner, P. M. (1993). "Donald O. Hebb: His life and theory". In Pribram, K. H. & King, J. (Eds.), Learning as Self-Organization. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Donald O. Hebb Resources
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