Sorry I'm just out of bed over here and possible not thinking straight. Hope
it not viewed as a 'Powerian Slip' to my repressed psychological training!!
Rohan
Uni of Sydney
Australia
···
-----Original Message-----
From: Control Systems Group Network (CSGnet)
[mailto:CSGNET@LISTSERV.UIUC.EDU]On Behalf Of Rick Marken
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2001 7:40 AM
To: CSGNET@LISTSERV.UIUC.EDU
Subject: Re: PCT applied to research on the Physical Environment
[From Rick Marken (2001.09.05.1440)]
Marc Abrams (2001.0905.0105)--
So given the fact that we control many CV's at once and they change over
time how do you know that the variable you tested for and found to be
controlled had anything to do with the behavior you were watching at a
particular point in time.
Me:
Because we tested and found it to be controlled at the time we were
watching the behavior. For example, baseball fielder's are not always
controlling for the horizontal and vertical optical velocity of the
image of a baseball; but now we know they are controlling these
variables when they are doing what we see as trying to catch a fly ball.
Now that I have a second, let me try to expand on this a bit because I
think it may be important. I realized that one of the benefits of so
called basic PCT research is that it helps us understand what perceptual
variables are probably being controlled when we look at various everyday
behaviors. Basic research tells us what perceptions people are likely
to be controlling when we see them doing activities similar to those
studied in the research. For example, once we have discovered, by
rigorous testing, what perceptual variables are being controlled when a
person catches a fly ball then we have a pretty good idea of what people
are controlling when they perform similar kinds of behavior -- behavior
that involves moving to intercept a flying object. So it's a good bet
that people are controlling vertical and horizontal optical velocity
when they catch a football, return a volleyball, catch a Frisbee, etc.
So one study of controlled variables tells us about the control
processes that are likely to underlie a lot of behavior.
Similarly, if we have determined that people control their proximity to
others and orientation toward a destination when they move in a group
(as in the CROWD program) then it's a good bet that control of the same
variables is involved in similar group movements: flocking, walking down
a crowded New York sidewalk, etc. I think this shows the general value
of basic PCT research. Such research will identify the perceptual
variables that are being controlled when we see people performing
various, generic behaviors: catching, flocking, grouping, balancing,
grasping, talking (not yet, but someday) and so on. Then when we see
people doing things that look like catching, pointing, flocking,
balancing, grasping, talking, and so on we will have a pretty good idea
of what's being done from the actor's perspective. That is, we'll be
able to make a pretty good guess about the perceptual variables are
actually being controlled when we see people performing these
activities.
Best regards
Rick
--
Richard S. Marken, Ph.D.
MindReadings.com
10459 Holman Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Tel: 310-474-0313
E-mail: marken@mindreadings.com