from Bjorn Simonsen ( 2002,08,25;21:05 EST)
I send this mail to the group although I think about Rick as addressee.
Maybe I am not alone having some problems with his hier.exl.
Rick
I am studying your hier.exl because it gives me a specific and detailed
information about how you think when you explain a hierarchical control
system of behavior.
I have read your "Spreadsheet analysis of a hierarchical control system
model of behavior" in Behavior Research Methods, Instruments & Computers
1990,22 (4) and analyzed your hier.exl. I use Excel 2000 when I study the
hier.exl.
···
At page 355 in the section "Changing Goals" you write "Because of the way in which the relationship perceptions are defined Level 3 System 1 (with a reference signal of value -1) will try to keep p2i less than or equal to p22;.... . And in your hier.exl I find in p31 the formula =IF(D2="*";D3;IF(D8>E8;1;-1), which executes what you wrote.
My problem is to understand "Why do you just give p31 the value 1 or - 1. I
thought p31 had to be a + - combination of p21 and p22 _in this connection_.
Is it a simplification?
In other words I thought if the perception in Level 3 system 1 is a
forwarding of perceptions from Level 2 system 1 and Level 2 System 2 p31
would be e.g. =p21 - p22.
May I also ask these questions:
1. In the section "Temporal Resolution" you write in the first sentence "By
setting the number of iterations executed per recalculation, you can
determined how "fine grained" a look you can get at the dynamic behavior of
the hierarchy."
I thought I knew Excel, but I don't know how I can set the number of
iterations executed per recalculation and I don't find it in hier.exl. Is
this a specialty for Lotus 1-2-3?
2. In the section "Conflict and Reorganization" you refer to the macro ALT
R. There are no macros in the copy I downloaded. I understand it is a macro
that select a random row in the PW matrix.
PS. I guess the PW matrix include all permutation s of 2 variables in 6
systems, but are some lacking?
3. In the section "The test for Controlled Variables" You refer to a test
variable in Row 12. You must have removed it when you made hier.exl? And I
don't find the macro Alt S. Maybe the macros disappear when I download?,
4. I also have a problem understanding how you handle the disturbances. I
guess hier.exl is developed since you wrote "Spreadsheet analysis of a
hierarchical control system model of behavior" in 1990. I can't find how you
explain the cells B24 and A32 and the matrixes D24:I28 and D32:I33 and The
Disturbance cycle in B21.
You have also removed the Test Variable whish is shown as 12 Weights in your
Figure 5.
Rick. Your hier.exl is interesting. I have learned much from it when I try
to simulate in PowerSim. Have you developed a model of a specific behavior?
I am trying to make a model of a person (stiff in all joints but the ankle
(for simplicity)) moving his body there and back standing on a ships deck in
heavy sea. The reference for the controlling relationship system is zero
meaning that the center of gravity is pointing through the base for the
feet. I started with a model where the heavy sea was crosswise, but this was
quite complicated.
What do you say about my experiment? I will use the levels intensities,
sensations, configurations, transitions, events and relationships. And I
will just have one muscle in each ankle. The muscle will move the body
forward when it contracts and it will move the body backwards when it
stretch. (I don't know if that muscle exists?)
All comments are welcome.
Bjorn