Related Experiment Videos
Contributions of the communication sciences to physiology
The American Journal of Physiology
|May 1, 1978
Summary
Communication technology has significantly impacted physiology, particularly through electronic devices for signal processing. The nervous system is increasingly viewed as an information-processing device, a concept vital for future physiological research.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Communication Sciences
- Cybernetics
Background:
- Review of the last 35 years of technological advancements in communication sciences.
- Focus on Norbert Wiener's cybernetic concepts: negative feedback, computer-as-brain metaphor, and signal-and-noise.
- Assessment of their influence on physiological understanding.
Observation:
- Wiener's concepts of negative feedback and the computer metaphor offered limited lasting contributions beyond analogies.
- Electronic measuring and signal-processing devices from communication technology have had a substantial impact.
Findings:
- The integration of electronic devices has significantly advanced physiological research capabilities.
- Information processing models are crucial for understanding the nervous system.
Implications:
- The characterization of the nervous system as an information-processing device is currently and will remain essential in physiology.
- Future physiological research will heavily rely on concepts and models from information processing and communication technology.