I’m pleased to share that my paper, “Consciousness: The Control of Quality (CoPoQ)”, has been accepted for publication in New Ideas in Psychology (Elsevier).
The paper builds directly on the foundations of Perceptual Control Theory, proposing that:
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Consciousness is not the pinnacle of existence, but a disruption to optimum functioning — arising when control falters.
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Its purpose is to enhance the quality of interaction between an organism and its environment.
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Its process is a drive toward the absence of consciousness — explaining why awareness fades after learning and during Flow states.
The CoPoQ framework integrates qualia, valence, and performance into a single controlled variable, offering a biologically grounded model of conscious experience within the PCT architecture.
I hope this publication will help to increase exposure and broaden awareness of PCT and highlight its relevance to contemporary debates in psychology, behaviour, neuroscience, and consciousness research.
This work owes much to the ongoing dialogue and insights within the PCT community, and I’m grateful to everyone here who has contributed ideas and encouragement over the years.
If anyone would like a copy of the accepted paper, please feel free to email or message me privately.
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Rupert Young
Perceptual Robots
