spreadsheet model

CSGnet Archive CSG1999
1

[Norman Hovda (991209.1600)]

From [ Marc Abrams (991209.1725) )

Rick, Could you please respond to Bruce Nevin's post (991209.1024
EST)] and the points he raises about your spreadsheet model and the
complexity of what is trying to be described.and discussed?

Yes and yes.

Is this the same file as I d/l'd weeks ago called:

"Four%20Level%20Control%20Simulation.xls"

If not what's different? They sure look like dupes.

Your readme file says it only works in Excel 2 and 5. It seems to
function in 97? Or is there a problem I don't "see" here?

from your read me file you state:

"... Systems at the first (lowest) level control intensities; systems
at the second level control sensations (linear combinations of
intensities) and... "

Ok to here and then you say,

"systems at the their level control logical relationships between
sensations."

Third level? Hmmm... Yet you seem to have skipped over
configuration et.al. jumping to relationship? Help!

And you continue... "A detailed description of what you see in the
spreadsheet can be found in a paper called "Spreadsheet analysis
of a hierarchical control model of behavior" by R. Marken which
was published in "Behavior Research Methods, Instruments &
Computers", 22, 349 - 359, 1990 and is reprinted in "Mind
Readings" by R. Marken which is available from New View
Publications, P.O Box 3021, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-3021"

How "detailed"? Specific examples of raw data from real life
situations plugged into your hierctrl.xls spreadsheet, etc?

How much it cost and what's the quickest way to order? Phone?

In your student example you state:

"For example, change the reference value in cell F7 to a constant,
like 50. This control system, at level two of the hierarchy model,
is now _commited_ to keeping the perception it is controlling
at 50; and you will see that the system will be able to do
this successfully; the perceptual variable (in cell F8) is
brought to and maintained at 50, protected from disturbance.
The system keeps its commitment."

Worked like a charm.

You go on to say, "But you will also find that some of the level
three systems (the ones in rows 3 through 5) can no longer keep
the perceptual variables they control (the values in row 4) matching
the references for these perceptions (the values in row 5)."

For my Excel 97 the values in row 4 don't seem to change at all
with the constant of 50. Average error goes up and the values
flicker a bit but I'm not seeing what you describe. Could my
using Excel 97 be part of the problem?

Gracias,
nth

2

[From Rick Marken (991209.1930)]

Norman Hovda (991209.1600)--

Is this the same file as I d/l'd weeks ago called:

I think so.

Your readme file says it only works in Excel 2 and 5. It seems to
function in 97? Or is there a problem I don't "see" here?

I've got to rewrite that Readme file. It works great in
Excel 97.

Third level? Hmmm... Yet you seem to have skipped over
configuration et.al. jumping to relationship? Help!

I developed the spreadsheet hierarchy 1) to show that a
multilevel control hierarchy, with several control systems at
each level, actually works 2) to let people experiment with the
model to see how it works and 3) to make the model available
in a software environment that just about everyone with a
computer was likely to have at the time (about 1989) -- a
spreadsheet. I didn't try to mimic the perceptual types in
Bill's hierarchy; I just used perceptual variables that were
easy to compute using spreadsheet calculations. So in the
first level systems the perception is proportional to an
environmental variable: p1 = qi. That's what Bill calls an
intensity. The second level systems control a linear combination
of level 1 perceptions: p2= k1p11+k2p12...+knp1n. This is a
type of sensation. It's hard to compute configurations and
transitions using spreasheet equations. So for level three
perceptual variables I computed logical relationships like
p3 = if (p21>p22, 1,-1) meaning: if p21>p22 then p3 is
true, otherwise it's false. So level three perceptions
represent the state of a logical relationship.

How much it cost and what's the quickest way to order? Phone?

If you're talking about "Mind Readings", you can get it for
$17.95 from Benchmark Publications. Ordering info is at:

http://www.benchpress.com/orders2.htm

For my Excel 97 the values in row 4 don't seem to change at all
with the constant of 50.

Look more carefully. The perceptual (and reference) variables
at this level (rows 4 and 3, respectively) are binary; they can
only have two values: 1 (true) or -1 (false), indicating the
value of the computed logical function of the lower level
perceptions. When you make the reference for the second level
system a constant (50) you should see the perceptual signal
in cell E4 go to -1. Since the reference for this perception is
1, the perception is as different from the reference as it can
be; the perception is completely out of control. I think a couple
of the other level three perceptions also deviate from their
reference values, at least occasionally. When you set a level two
reference to a constant that system can no longer by used by
a level 3 system as the means of controlling it's perceptual
signal.

Best

Rick

ยทยทยท

--

Richard S. Marken Phone or Fax: 310 474-0313
Life Learning Associates e-mail: rmarken@earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~rmarken/