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Introductions and comments by others

What is revolutionary about Perceptual Control Theory?
by Martin Taylor
Scientific revolutions are few and far between. Converts to PCT claim that PCT is revolutionary. In this short essay, Martin explores four ways to argue the case.


PCT_revolutionary.pdf

The Domain of Perceptual Control Theory
Exploring the significance of PCT without explaining it

A brief illustration of how PCT fits between behaviorism and cognitive psychology and how PCT creates a scientific revolution. By Dag Forssell


domain_pct.pdf

Evaluating Perceptual Control Theory
by Dag Forssell
A follow-up to the paper on The Domain of PCT. How can you evaluate the validity of PCT against the multitude of theories in the field of psychology?


evaluating_PCT.pdf

The Future of PCT
by Bruce Nevin
A visionary statement about what PCT can mean to the world we live in.


FutureOfPCT.pdf

PCT—A Business Proposal
by Dag Forssell
Or, why would anyone want to learn about Perceptual Control Theory


pct_proposal.pdf

A Consultant's Lament
by Fred Nickols
Why are managements so slow to change the basic approach to managing people? Fred shares a perspective. .


consultants_lament.pdf

The Experimental Method is Crippling Psychology
by Dag Forssell
Discussion of the standard experimental method used in scientific psychology to show that it is appropriate for inanimate objects but inadequate for living things.


exper_method.pdf

Perceptual Control Theory
Modeling negative feedback control of language perceptions

Presentation by Bruce Nevin to Stanford Psychology and Language Tea (SPLaT) February 9, 2012. Video, 66 minutes.


SPLaT_Nevin

Teaching PCT at an Undergraduate Level:
A Review of the First Year and Plans for 2008/9

This extensive report by Warren Mansell includes Students' Comments on PCT (p.8) and published papers debating PCT (p. 10). See also Warren's site.


pct_manchester.pdf

People as Living Things: The Story   by Dag Forssell
The story of how "People as Living Things" was created and what it is about.


the_plt_story.pdf

Foreword to Living Control Systems II    by Tom Bourbon
Tom Bourbon describes how the idea of intention as a cause was buried for 2,200 years by dogmas of linear causation that persist today, and is only now being recovered with the recognition of circular causation in PCT


foreword_lcsii.pdf
Why Study PCT?     by Dag Forssell
Why would anyone want to take an interest in PCT? Here is one suggestion.

why_study_pct.pdf
Three "Dangerous" words     by Tom Bourbon
A very personal essay on the difficulties experienced as a teacher of PCT .

three_dangerous
_words.pdf
Descriptive versus generative scientific theories    by Dag Forssell
Most any field of study can be and is being called a science, but not all sciences or scientists adhere to rigid standards or apply proven principles and relevant methods.

science
_comparison.pdf
Teaching Dogma in Psychology     by Rick Marken
Richard Marken’s 1985 farewell address to his colleagues on the faculty at Augsburg College.

teaching
_dogma.pdf
PCT—An Engineering Science    by Dag Forssell
Engineering sciences go far beyond description and metaphor
pct_eng_sci.pdf
Effective Personnel Management     by Jim Soldani (1989)
Jim Soldani reports on his experiences and results of applying what he learned from PCT
personnel
_mgmt.pdf
How I applied PCT to get results     by Jim Soldani (2010)
Jim Soldani spells out details of just how he obtained those results he wrote about in 1989.

PCT_results.pdf
A stroll in the park or What is a sociologist to do    by Philip Runkel
An imaginative interpretation of a hierarchical control system in action

stroll_park.pdf
Once Around the Loop    by Dag Forssell
An interpretation of basic PCT—simple and complex at the same time, providing interesting insight into how to deal with people.

once_around
_loop.pdf
About The Method of Levels    by Tim Carey
Comments and clarifications in response to suggestions that MOL be used with couples and in groups.

about_mol.pdf
Population statistics cannot be used for reliable
individual prediction
   by Richard Kennaway

population_stats.pdf
Choice Theory and PCT    by Tim Carey
What are the differences and do they matter anyway?

ChoiceTheory_PCT.pdf

Causation and Negative Feedback Control Loops    By Erling Jorgensen
An essay designed to sort out the difference between linear causation in determinism and the continuous circular causation that is characteristic of control loops. Includes comment by Bruce Nevin.


causation.pdf
A Human-Centric Trust Management System    by Andor Demarteau
A graduation thesis from the Department of Information and Computing Sciences
Utrecht University, The Netherlands, regarding the possibility of using insight from PCT to design a trust management system for computer security.


trust_mgmt.pdf

PCT is Reverse Engineering    by Dag Forssell
All modern physical sciences employ reverse engineering in that they suggest underlying, unseen, quantifiable, physical relationships to account for phenomena we observe. So does PCT.

reverse
_engineering.pdf
A PCT Primer    by Fred Nickols
Fred Nickols provides a brief, non-technical explanation of PCT and relate it to everyday experience. Copied from Fred's website listed in paper.

PCT101.pdf
Behavior: The Control of Perception – The Original Book Jacket
Originally published in 1973 and in print for 30 years, Behavior: The Control of Perception (B:CP) is being reissued in paperback in 2004. B:CP is the original "engineering textbook" introduction to Perceptual Control Theory (PCT), as fresh and valid today as when first published.

bcp_jacket.pdf
PCT in a Nutshell    by Dag Forssell
A summary intro to PCT looking at various time frames
pct_nutshell.pdf
Publishing for PCT    by Dag Forssell
Dag's journey as a publislher and discussion of publishing alternatives.
PublishingForPCT.pdf
And do not miss the journals and newsletters here.  


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