Hebb's Neural Networks Support the Integration of Psychological Science.

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Abstract
In a recent paper and forthcoming volume, the former President of the American Psychological Association, Robert Sternberg, calls for an effort to reintegrate psycho- logical science (Sternberg, in press; Sternberg & Grigorenko, 2001). In this paper we argue that D. O. Hebb, beginning with his technical volume in 1949 and continuing through a series of introductory textbooks, has convincingly presented the basis for such integration. The basis for this integration lies in understanding how genes and experience shape neural networks underlying human thoughts, feelings, and actions. Why has not Hebb's accomplishment been generally recognized as providing the needed integration for psy- chology? We suggest that the methods available to Hebb, mostly animal research and behavioural human experi- ments, were not sufficient to provide empirical methods for linking his conceptual nervous system to real events in the human brain. This methodology has now been provid- ed by neuroimaging. While Hebb also recognized the importance of studying individual differences in intelli- gence and affect, there were also no methods for explor- ing the specific genes that were an important source of these differences. The human genome project has provid- ed new methods for exploring this issue. Hebb's basic idea, together with the new methodological tools and new disci- plines (e.g., cognitive, affective, and social neuroscience), all based on network views, give abundant evidence of the value of employing the converging operations strategy advocated by Sternberg and Grigorenko (2001).

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