# Skinner, PCT Research

**URL:** <http://discourse.iapct.org/t/skinner-pct-research/10541>\
**Category:** CSG1996\
**Created:** [August 9, 1996, 3:49pm UTC](http://discourse.iapct.org/t/skinner-pct-research/10541 "1996-08-09T15:49:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Richard\_Marken](http://discourse.iapct.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Richard\_Marken](http://discourse.iapct.org/u/Richard_Marken)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 1996, 3:49pm UTC](http://discourse.iapct.org/t/skinner-pct-research/10541/1 "1996-08-09T15:49:28Z")

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[From Rick Marken (960809.0845)]

Phil Runkel (8 Aug 96) --

> The story goes that he demonstrated a model of his three-pigeon guidance  
> system to a committee of generals and admirals. The pigeons performed  
> flawlessly, but the generals and admirals voted against investing any money  
> to develop the idea.

Unlike B. F., the generals and admirals may have understood that the pigeons  
were controlling their perception of the two-dimensional representation of  
the ship's position relative to the target; so the generals knew that the  
pigeons could be easily replaced by a very simple, reliable and inexpensive  
control system.

> Looks to me as if Skinner had the full loop before his eyes but missed the  
> point he could have taken from his own demonstration.

Skinner reminds me of the drunken gunslinger in "Cat Ballou" about whose  
target shooting accuracy it was said in amazement "He did it; he missed  
the barn"! The broad side of the "barn" of control was sitting right in front  
of Skinner and he missed it; he missed the barn.

R.M. Holston (960808) --

> Skinner was a great man

What was great about him? He made arcane a simple principle that was known to  
every animal trainer in the universe (that you can control behavior with  
contingent rewards), he mistakenly concluded that this was consistent with  
his existing belief that the environment \_controls\_ behavior, and he  
was a loopy writer. I think Skinner ranks up right up there with Freud in the  
pantheon of "great mistakes in the great man theory of science".

Stefan Balke (960809.1130 CET) --

> Are their any plans to make common efforts in the development of systematic  
> tests for controlled perceptions?

Nope. It's every man for himself. If you want to do PCT research just go  
on out and do it.

> What should be done to come closer to the goal of common efforts?

Encourage more people to do PCT research, publish it and report it on  
this net and at CSG meetings. There are currently only a handfull of people  
doing PCT research so there's not much need to worry about coordinating their  
common efforts; we talk to each other nearly every day.

Best

Rick