Control Observation Form

[Avery Andrews 970828]
(Rick Marken (970827.2030)

...
Observation: what actually happens when each disturbance is applied:

        Cashier takes bill and money, gives me my change, and says
        "Thank you, come again."

Conclusion:

        Hearing me say how much I enjoyed my lunch is not a controlled
        variable.

very cool (I think because it helps *identify* the controlled variables
rather than just assert that there is control, which people who aren't
interested in PCT would probably tend to admit, but just don't consider
to be interesting; if I don't care about anchovies, you can't make me care
by showing me lots of them).

Avery.Andrews@anu.edu.au

[From Rick Marken (970827.2030)]

Here is a slightly revised version of Bill's [Bill Powers
(970827.0003 MDT)] form for recording observations of control.

···

---------------
Context: what's going on; what the situation is:

        Paying lunch bill at cashier's counter. The cashier always
        seems to say, "Was your lunch all right, sir?" Question:
        does the cashier really want to know?

Proposed controlled variable (CV):

        The cashier wants to hear me say how much I enjoyed my lunch.

Disturbance: what I can do to vary the CV:

        1) Say nothing at all
        2) Say something irrelevant to how much I enjoyed my lunch,
        like "I had the eggs."
        3) Have someone else tell her how much I enjoyed my lunch.

Rationale: what makes this a disturbance:

        If the cashier wants to hear _me_ say how much I enjoyed my
        lunch then she will not be perceiving what she wants if I
        say nothing, if I say something irrelevant or if I have
        someone else tell her about my lunch.

Predicted behavior: what should happen to the suspected controlled
variable if it is actually under control:

        There should be an action that indicates again or more
        strongly that I should provide the requested information.
        The cashier will repeat the request for information in the
        same or different words.

Observation: what actually happens when each disturbance is applied:

        Cashier takes bill and money, gives me my change, and says
        "Thank you, come again."

Conclusion:

        Hearing me say how much I enjoyed my lunch is not a controlled
        variable.

-------------

The main change is explicitly referring to and naming the
hypothetical controlled variable. Not much, but what do you
expect from a bear of very little brain. Let's keep working
on it.

Best

Rick
--

Richard S. Marken Phone or Fax: 310 474-0313
Life Learning Associates e-mail: rmarken@earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~rmarken/

[From Bill Powers (970828.1319 MDT)]

Rick Marken (970827.2030)--

Here is a slightly revised version of Bill's [Bill Powers
(970827.0003 MDT)] form for recording observations of control.

...

The main change is explicitly referring to and naming the
hypothetical controlled variable. Not much, but what do you
expect from a bear of very little brain. Let's keep working
on it.

Yes. Let's keep working on it. Trying it out will reveal loopholes, no
doubt, which have to be patched up.

Remember that (as I just said to David G.) a _negative_ result is absolute:
if there is no control of a variable, you're done.

Best,

Bill P.