The D.O. Hebb Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award

The D.O. Hebb Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award honors a psychologist who has made distinguished theoretical or empirical contributions to basic research in behavioral neuroscience and/or comparative psychology. The recipient receives a plaque at the Business Meeting of Division 6, held at the APA Annual Convention and is expected to present the D.O. Hebb Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award Lecture in August of the following year at the APA Annual Convention.

Donald O. Hebb (1902-85) is among the most influential psychologists of the 20th century, distinguished in both psychology and neuroscience. His undergraduate degree was from Dalhousie University, and his master's degree was from McGill University. He later studied with Karl Lashley at the University of Chicago and then Harvard University, where he earned his PhD, after which he worked for a time with Wilder Penfield in Montreal. Other positions he held were at Queens University and the Yerkes Primate Biology Laboratory. He returned to McGill as professor of psychology, chairman of the department, vice dean for biological sciences and finally as chancellor of the university. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and of the Royal Society of London and was president of the Canadian and American Psychological associations. He won the American Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Scientific Contribution. Among his major contributions is his 1949 book Organization of Behavior: A Neuropsychological Theory. It is still widely read and cited and has become a landmark work, recently described (along with Darwin's Origin of Species) as one of the two most important books in biology.

Nominations must be made by a member of Division 6.

Nomination Materials Include:

• A short (150-300 word) statement explaining why nominee is deserving of the award.

• The CV of the nominee
  

Please send all nominations to Deirdre Yeater.

2025

Peter Balsam

2023

Mauricio R. Papini

2022

Michael Petrides

2021

Ralph R. Miller

2020

Gordon Burghardt

2019

Meredith West

2018

J. David Smith

2017

Stephen Maren

2016

David Crews

2015

Bruce Overmier

2014

Michael Domjan

2013

Thomas Zentall

2012

Charles R. Gallistel

2011

Ed Wasserman

2010

Terry Robinson

2009

Joseph LeDoux

2008

none

2007

S.J. Suomi

2006

M.S. Fanselow

2005

Duane Rumbaugh

2004

Steven F. Maier

2003

none

2002

Shepard Siegel

2001

M.E. Bitterman