Tidbit on Hebb's Phase Sequence shifts

• Sex and Evolution: Bateman, Trivers-Willard, Coolidge, and Their Effects by James Brody, 6/20/97
  • Eros and Phase Shifts by James Brody, 1/10/98
    
    

For purposes quite unrelated to this site (I thought!), I have been editing a volume in honor of Donald Hebb, who brought a sane neuroscience perspective into psychology.

Hebb's ORGANIZATION OF BEHAVIOR (1949) introduced the ideas of "cell assemblies" and "phases sequences". Assemblies are small circuits of cells that form a loop. A phase sequence links these assemblies into coherent temporal order.

One of Hebb's interesting speculations is that "emotional behavior" occurs when central phase sequences are disrupted (destabilized) by either other CNS phase sequences or conflicting environmental information. He drops hints that these phase sequences might be more or less stable under different conditions but does not go into detail how this might happen.

The connection to Jim's comments is rather tangential, but there is a certain parallel I believe. Interesting how ideas surface, then resurface. Hebb was NOT a mathematician in any sense of the term, and he did not keep up with the latest stuff in systems theory, chaos, etc. But some of his ideas, in neural clothing, do seem related.

Some folks who look at the present site might find it worthwhile reading, or re-reading, his thoughts. I find them impressive. (Remember, his ideas came 50+ years ago!)

The question for now is: How do we pin these interesting ideas down, within a testable format? Can we? Should we? It would be nice to try. I suspect this will demand bold efforts from more than one little mind....collective chaos, perhaps!

John

• Hebb and Phase Shifts by James Brody, 1/14/98