Karl Lashley

Psychology American 1890 – 1958 100 quotes

An influential neuropsychologist known for his research on the neural basis of learning and memory, particularly his concepts of equipotentiality and mass action.

Quotes by Karl Lashley

Mass action of the cortex explains learning better than point-to-point mapping.

Brain Mechanisms and Intelligence 1929

Experimentation with animals reveals the unity of behavior.

Speech at Harvard 1935

The engram, that elusive trace of memory, remains unfound.

In Search of the Engram 1950

Behaviorism overlooks the holistic nature of the brain.

Article critique 1948

Life's meaning lies in the pursuit of knowledge, however frustrating.

Letter to student 1957

The cortex is a seamless web, not a patchwork.

Journal of Comparative Neurology 1924

Intelligence is not localized; it permeates the cerebrum.

Brain Mechanisms and Intelligence 1929

My rats have taught me more about the mind than any textbook.

Interview 1940

Neurology without psychology is empty; psychology without neurology is blind.

Conference speech 1938

The brain's plasticity defies rigid theories.

Later works 1952

In science, doubt is the beginning of wisdom.

Personal notebook 1945

Learning curves are as unpredictable as human nature.

Experimental data reflection 1932

The search for the memory trace is like hunting a ghost.

In Search of the Engram 1950

Colleagues, let us abandon the phrenology of the 20th century.

APA Address 1928

Life is a series of mazes, much like my rat experiments.

Letter to family 1955

Sensory integration occurs not in spots, but in symphony.

Early paper 1923

The mind emerges from the brain's collective action.

Philosophical essay 1947

I've mapped more brain tissue than most, yet understand less.

Late interview 1958

Behavior is the brain in action, not isolated reflexes.

Critique of Watson 1930

The engram eludes us, but the quest enriches us.

In Search of the Engram 1950