# Control Demo, how to do the Test

**URL:** <http://discourse.iapct.org/t/control-demo-how-to-do-the-test/2886>\
**Category:** CSG1997\
**Created:** [May 27, 1997, 4:18pm UTC](http://discourse.iapct.org/t/control-demo-how-to-do-the-test/2886 "1997-05-27T16:18:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Richard\_Marken1](http://discourse.iapct.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Richard\_Marken1](http://discourse.iapct.org/u/Richard_Marken1)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 1997, 4:18pm UTC](http://discourse.iapct.org/t/control-demo-how-to-do-the-test/2886/1 "1997-05-27T16:18:29Z")

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[From Rick Marken (970527.0920 PDT)]

Bill Powers (970526.1812 MDT)

> This may be the first experiment we have that shows multiple  
> levels of control in a single experiment. Well done.

Thanks. One thing I find very interesting is that reaction time  
(the time from change in the disturbance variable to corrective  
response) is proportional to the (presumed) level of the variable  
controlled. When I run the experiment via the Applet Viewer (so  
that I am more certain of the actual times in msec) I get a reaction  
time of about 500 msec when I control for "circles", 700 msec when  
I control for "clockwise movement" and 800 - 1000 msec when I control  
for "small, medium, large sequence".

Bill Powers (970527.0619 MDT) replying to Stefan Balke (970527.1100  
CET):

> When you say your statement is a disturbance, you aren't specifying \> what perception it is supposedly disturbing. To do the Test, you  
> have to define a variable that you think is under control.

I would say that this is the most common misconception people have about  
doing the Test. Most people seem to get the idea that The Test  
involves the application od "a disturbance". What is often forgotten or  
ignored is the fact that the notion of a disturbance makes no  
sense unless one has, in mind, some variable whose value \_would\_ be  
changed by the disturbance \_if it were not under control\_.

The most essential (and difficult) aspect of the Test is \_guessing\_ what  
variable(s) an organism \_might\_ be controlling. Once you have  
guessed what variable \_might\_ be under control, it is easy to think of  
things that would change the value of this variable if it were \_not\_  
under control.

I think the statement "To do the Test, you have to define a variable  
that you think is under control" should go above the entrance to the  
Living Control Systems Institute, right next to that other statement (I  
forget what it was: "It's all perception" or "It's all control" or  
something like that;-))

Best

Rick

> **···**
>
> --
> 
> Richard S. Marken Phone or Fax: 310 474-0313  
> Life Learning Associates e-mail: marken@leonardo.net  
> [http://www.leonardo.net/Marken](http://www.leonardo.net/Marken)

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**Author:** ![Bruce\_Gregory9](http://discourse.iapct.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/43a26b/32.png) [@Bruce\_Gregory9](http://discourse.iapct.org/u/Bruce_Gregory9)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 1997, 5:10pm UTC](http://discourse.iapct.org/t/control-demo-how-to-do-the-test/2886/2 "1997-05-27T17:10:17Z")

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[From Bruce Gregory (970527.1310 EDT)]

Rick Marken (970527.0920 PDT)

> I think the statement "To do the Test, you have to define a variable  
> that you think is under control" should go above the entrance to the  
> Living Control Systems Institute, right next to that other statement (I  
> forget what it was: "It's all perception" or "It's all control" or  
> something like that;-))

It's "Control is the only problem". Or was it "There's less  
here than meets the eye"? 😉

Bruce

p.s. Today's Science Times has an interesting article "Listening  
to the Conversation of Neurons" about Rodolfio Llinas' research.