The Study of Living Control Systems: A Guide to Doing Research on Purpose

Richard S. Marken

ISBN 10: 1108707335 / ISBN 13: 9781108707336

Published by Cambridge University Press, 2021

About this Item

139 pages. 8.75x5.75x0.50 inches. In Stock.

Seller Inventory # x-1108707335

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Study of Living Control Systems: A Guide to Doing Research on Purpose
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication Date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1108707335
• ISBN 13: 9781108707336
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: Brand New
• Weight: 0.24 kilograms

About this title

Synopsis

This book is a guide to doing a new kind of psychological research that focuses on the purposes rather than the causes of behavior. The research methods described here are based on a theory of behaviour called Perceptual Control Theory (PCT) that views organisms as purposeful rather than mechanical systems. According to PCT, purposeful behaviour involves acting to control perceptual input variables. Thus, understanding the purposeful behaviour of living organisms is a matter of determining the perceptual variables they are controlling when they are carrying out various behaviors. This book outlines research methods that determine what perceptual variables an organism is controlling, how it controls those variables, and why. It also describes methods for studying how an organism develops the ability to control different perceptions and how consciousness might be involved in this process.

About the Author

Richard S. Marken is a leading authority on the Perceptual Control Theory (PCT) model of behavior. Now retired from a career as a psychology professor, human factors engineer, and health policy researcher, he still actively consults and carries out a program of research testing PCT.