Many thanks to Bill Powers for his PCT-based analysis of the
"draw-the-flower" examples I sent along earlier. I have an additional
question.
I agree that the kinesthetic requirements associated with the second
situation will improve with practice yet it seems to me that the ability to
imagine the drawing of the flower will have to improve as well or else the
person will simply be able to more deftly produce a lousy drawing.
My question, then, is this: Does the kind of practice in Situation 2 also
improve the ability to imagine the flower, that is, to better formulate and
hold a reference condition representing the flower drawing?
Fred Nickols
The Distance Consulting Company
"Assistance at A Distance"
http://home.att.net/~nickols/distance.htm
nickols@worldnet.att.net
(609) 490-0095
[From Bill Powers (991005.0641 MDT)]
Fred Nickols (990905)--
I agree that the kinesthetic requirements associated with the second
situation will improve with practice yet it seems to me that the ability to
imagine the drawing of the flower will have to improve as well or else the
person will simply be able to more deftly produce a lousy drawing.
I don't know how to predict whether a given person's ability to imagine the
flower will improve with practice. Some will, some won't, I would guess, as
in most such matters we try to settle by "pure reason." The best way to
find out is to try it.
My question, then, is this: Does the kind of practice in Situation 2 also
improve the ability to imagine the flower, that is, to better formulate and
hold a reference condition representing the flower drawing?
I don't know. Does it? Perhaps when one sees what a lousy flower one has
drawn, it becomes obvious that the problem is in the visualization of the
original flower. But if you can't see what you're drawing while you're
drawing it, there is also a problem in visualizing the results of your
actions. I just don't see any way to reason out what will happen from
theory, especially if you're asking whether _everybody_ will show the same
behavior. At least I think I can answer that last question!
Best,
Bill P.