Hebb’s theory

Hebb wondered what happens to the brain when we learn. He argued – in his book “The
organisation of behaviour” - that in the same way that we train our muscles they then become
stronger. So must the brain, as Hebb suggested, that synaptic connections in the brain become
stronger the more they are used.

One strength is that his theory has scientific bases. Learning was explained in the cognitive process
in terms of brain function. This therefore allowed a scientific and objective basis for understanding
behaviour and this raised psychology’s status as a science.

One weakness of Hebbs theory is that learning is reduced to a neuronal level. Hebb was right to use
most of his energy to focus on the important changes in the brain that takes place during learning.
But the one problem is that is learning itself is very complicated activity to understand and can be
looked upon through different angles of vision. Learning can be understood through cognitive
activity that involves change to our thought processes (similar to the process of accommodation).
We learn by observing others or being directly instructed by them, because learning is a social
activity