The D.O. Hebb Lecture Series was initiated in 1989 in memory of Hebb’s contribution to the science of behavior. Invited speakers of the D.O. Lecture series are scientists who have made distinguished empirical contributions to basic research in all areas of psychology. It is currently made possible by the generous support of the D.O. Hebb Endowment Memorial Fund.
Most speakers also deliver an informal seminar held in the morning.
January 23, 2026 at 3:30pm
McIntyre Medical Building, Room 522
Dr. Michael Platt
University of Pennsylvania
How and Why We Connect: The Neurobiology of Adaptive, Multi-dimensional Social Relationships
Abstract: For humans and nonhuman primates alike, deeper and more numerous social connections promote health, well-being, and survival. For the past 18 years, our group has tracked the behavior, biology, life history, and social relationships of thousands of rhesus macaques on Cayo Santiago Island, both before and after environmental catastrophe. Our work demonstrates intense physical stressors like extreme heat are associated with molecular and structural changes in multiple systems consistent with accelerated aging. Importantly, strong social bonds ameliorated these effects, thereby improving survival. Precisely how primate brains support the multidimensional social relationships that structure daily life and shape survival and reproductive success, however, remains a mystery. To address this question, we combined ethological analyses with new wireless recording technologies and computer vision to uncover the neural signatures of natural behavior in unrestrained, socially interacting rhesus macaques. We found that neuronal activity in prefrontal and temporal cortex robustly encoded 24 species-typical behaviors, as well as the presence and identity of neighboring monkeys. Male-female partners demonstrated near-perfect reciprocity in grooming, a key behavioral mechanism supporting friendships and alliances, and neural activity maintained a running account of these social interactions. When confronted with an aggressive intruder, behavioral and neural population responses were buffered by the presence of a partner, consistent with adaptive regulation of stress. Surprisingly, neural signatures in prefrontal and temporal cortex were largely indistinguishable and irreducible to visual and motor contingencies. Our work reveals a highly distributed neurophysiological ledger of social dynamics, a potential computational foundation supporting adaptive relationships in primate societies, including our own.
January 16th, 2026 at 3:30pm
McIntyre Medical Building, Room 504
Dr. Matthew Nock
Harvard University
Using new technologies to improve the understanding, prediction, and prevention of suicide
Abstract: Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the US and worldwide, especially among youth. Yet, suicide continues to be a perplexing and poorly understood problem that clinicians have struggled to accurately predict and prevent. This presentation highlights how the development of digital and computational tools (e.g., smartphones, wearable sensors, machine learning algorithms) have led to advances in the understanding, prediction, and prevention of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Specifically, this presentation will describe how such approaches have improved our ability to identify which patients are at greatest risk, when risk is greatest, and how to effectively intervene in real-time to decrease risk of self-harm.
November 07, 2025 at 3:30pm
2001 McGill College, Room 461
Dr. Minjeong Jeon
University of California - Los Angeles
TBD
Abstract: TBD
Sept 19, 2025 at 3:30pm
McIntyre Medical Building, Room 502
Dr. Kristina Ol![]()
son
Gender Diversity in Childhood Adolescence
Abstract: As the number of transgender and nonbinary youth is increasing, so too is criticism and concern about these youth. In this talk, I will describe the first 10 years of an in-depth, long-term study of transgender, nonbinary and cisgender youth. I’ll describe what we’ve learned about their gender identities and wellbeing over time and how what we’ve learned about these youth speaks to long-standing debates in developmental, clinical, and social psychology – and also debates happening in the media, school boards and courtrooms.