# RePost Re Test

**URL:** <http://discourse.iapct.org/t/repost-re-test/9597>\
**Category:** CSG1993\
**Created:** [September 29, 1993, 2:54pm UTC](http://discourse.iapct.org/t/repost-re-test/9597 "1993-09-29T14:54:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Marken\_Richard\_S1](http://discourse.iapct.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Marken\_Richard\_S1](http://discourse.iapct.org/u/Marken_Richard_S1)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 1993, 2:54pm UTC](http://discourse.iapct.org/t/repost-re-test/9597/1 "1993-09-29T14:54:06Z")

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[From Rick Marken (930929.0730)]

Apparently something went wrong with the net on monday  
and this never made it out. So here it is again:

> **···**
>
> --------  
> [From Rick Marken (930927.1200)]
> 
> I am planning to write a paper describing "The Test"  
> as a new basis for studying the behavior of living  
> systems. I am looking for examples of existing  
> research that have used some version of "The Test",  
> even (especially) if it was not explicitly carried out  
> within the framework of PCT (this eliminates, for example,  
> the work of the Plooij's on chimp behavior). A couple of  
> purported examples of non-PCT based implementations  
> of "The Test" have been mentioned recently on the net;  
> specifically, the Allen and Jex study mentioned by  
> Chris Wickens (he said, in a private post, that he would  
> send me a copy of the article) and Harris' "pair test"  
> mentioned by Bruce Nevin (I asked Bruce for a description  
> but have, as yet, not received one). These examples of  
> "The Test" need not be based on intentional manipulation of  
> disturbances --though I think they should involve a rel-  
> atively clear hypothesis about the controlled variable.  
> They could involve looking at the behavior of possible  
> controlled variables in the context of natural disturbance  
> variations.
> 
> Chuck Tucker (in a private post) mentioned Piaget as  
> a possibility -- and from what I recall of his  
> methods Piaget was doing something very much like  
> "The Test". In his "conservation of liquid volume"  
> studies, for example, the hypothetical controlled  
> variable for a non-conserver was "relative height" and  
> the experimenter would disturb this variable (by pouring  
> into different shaped vessels) to see if the kid stuck  
> with the "taller" liquid.
> 
> Descriptions of ANY other possible examples of "The Test"  
> would be much appreciated. I think any proposed examples  
> would be worth discussion on the Net becuase it would  
> help everyone (including myself) get a better grasp of  
> the PHENOMENON that PCT is designed to explain -- CONTROL.  
> By focusing on control, we would also be increasing  
> the relevence of this discussion to those who work out  
> there in the real world -- where the rubber meets the road.
> 
> Best
> 
> Rick