Donald Hebb’s “The Organization of Behaviour: A Neuropsychological Theory” has been one of the most influential books in the fields of psychology and neuroscience. In this seminal work, Hebb proposed biological explanations of behavior and processes relating to the mind; most notably, Hebb’s Rule 1, also known as “Theory of Hebbian Learning.” Rule 1 says that when neuron A continually activates nearby neuron B, their connection becomes stronger; neuron A becomes more effective at activating neuron B. Hebb’s rule is often summarized as “neurons that fire together, wire together.” This rule impacts many aspects of our lives. For example, when we repeat an action over and over, such as when children practice moving their muscles to walk, the connections in the brain are strengthened; children learning to walk create the brain ‘wiring’ they use in walking throughout life. Hebb’s work led to many other scientific discoveries, including the discovery of brain plasticity—the brain’s ability to modify its connections or rewire itself. Without plasticity people would be unable to learn new skills as adults or recover from brain injuries.
The Organization of Behaviour was first published in 1949; this new edition enables behavioral neuroscientists to obtain one of the most cited publications in the field.
