PSY 4130 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Mind Control, Allan Memorial Institute, Curare
5 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Lecture 16: Psychobiology
Karl Lashley: influenced by John Watson but was more interested in the neurophysiological basis of
reflexes. A behaviourist, Lashley looked for neurophysiological evidence of associationism which
underlies behaviour.
• became interested in the mind as strict, switchboard like behaviour
• eventually over towards a Gestalt version of brain activity
• evidence against the switchboard view included his finding that loss of ability seemed to be related
to the amount of neural tissue damaged rather than to its location
• as proposed by Gestalt psychologists, this was action seemed to suggest the cerebral cortex works as
a whole
• Lately also observed that, for any functional area in the brain, any cells in that area can mediate
the functions associated with that area (euipotentiality)
Engram: proposed neurophysiologieological basis of learning and memory.
• Lashley spent most of his career looking for this but could not detect a memory area
• questions were important, but did not have a lot of results
• specialized in disproving theories
Donald Hebb & The Organization of Behaviour
With his dual background in medicine and psychology, Hebb was interested in the physiological
mechanisms underlying behaviour.
Posited that the infants brain consistent of random neural connections. Experience modified the
organization of these neurons with the most basic clustering being called a cell assembly which
activates in response to a particular object. Once established, a cell assembly can be activated by
appropriate stimulation, either internal or external.
Using cell assembles as building blocks, the organism develops phase sequences, a higher form of
cerebral organization in response to experience. With greater experience, and using cell assemblies as
building blocks, the organism develops phase sequences, a higher form of cerebral organization in
response to experience. In turn, phase sequences can contribute to phase cycles, an even higher form
of organization in response to experience. Throughout experience and continuity contribute to the
development of cerebral structures that underlie behaviour. Because the adult brain is built like a
child's brain it is conceivable that the adult brain makes use of all the Gestalt principles and uses
larger building blocks as basic concepts.
In 1949, Hebb reported results of a study on rats suggesting that animals raised in a rich sensory
environment fared better as adult learners than did rats raised in impoverished environments.
Ewen Cameron (1901-1967)
With CIA funding, Cameron conducted research on the concept of mind-driving as a part of MKUltra
sub project 68.
• with suitable methods, a mont afflicted with schizophrenia could be completely erased and rebuilt
• conducted research on people who were admitted to the student hospital for anxiety and
depression
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Karl lashley: influenced by john watson but was more interested in the neurophysiological basis of reflexes. With his dual background in medicine and psychology, hebb was interested in the physiological mechanisms underlying behaviour. Posited that the infants brain consistent of random neural connections. Experience modified the organization of these neurons with the most basic clustering being called a cell assembly which activates in response to a particular object. Once established, a cell assembly can be activated by appropriate stimulation, either internal or external. Using cell assembles as building blocks, the organism develops phase sequences, a higher form of cerebral organization in response to experience. With greater experience, and using cell assemblies as building blocks, the organism develops phase sequences, a higher form of cerebral organization in response to experience. In turn, phase sequences can contribute to phase cycles, an even higher form of organization in response to experience.
