[From Rick Marken (960731.0920)]
Mary Powers (960731) --
Rick Marken (960726) and Bruce Gregory (960726)
Rick: I would say that in real situations it is VERY rare that people
are controlling for getting other people's opinions about their
observed behavior.
Bruce: I agree.
Hey, guys, are either of you watching the Olympic Games??
Good point. Now that I think of it, situations where I am controlling for
getting other people's opinions about my behavior are not rare at all. I
guess I was thinking that it's rare for me to seek the opinions of others
about my behavior as I go about my daily business. When I do get _unsolicited
feedback_ it is usually a disturbance to something else I am controlling
(like my concentration). But I know that I am often in circumstances where I
have to control for people's opinions of my observed behavior; heck, I was a
gymnast myself once. I control for the opinions ("feedback") of others when I
give a briefing, submit a paper, go for a job interview, play a song, etc.
etc. So I often do solicit (or expect) "feedback" about my observed
behavior; when I do that, the "feedback" I get is one variable I am
controlling (and the loop gain when I am controlling this kind of "feedback"
is VERY low -- as evidence I offer gymnasics once again).
Best
Rick