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A scientific revolution in the life sciences is on the way
This Book of Readings is designed to be a broad-based sampling of the literature on Perceptual Control Theory, PCT, its scientific nature and some applications.
The PCT explanation for what behavior is, how it works and what it accomplishes is well documented. It lays a foundation for a new natural science and can handle behavioral phenomena within a single testable concept of how living systems work. You can demonstrate it yourself with functioning computer simulations.
Radically new, incompatible explanatory concepts cause scientific revolutions or paradigm shifts when they prove valid. One well known example is the introduction of the idea of the solar system in an era when the idea that the earth was at the center of the universe had been accepted science for about 1,300 years. Some of the explanations of the old science turned out to be illusions once people were introduced to and grasped the concept and working mechanism of the solar system. Contrary to the old explanation—and what seems intuitively obvious—the sun, planets and stars never did revolve around the earth (this is not physically feasible), and the planets never did move in reverse—it just looks that way. Now we are taught a correct explanation in elementary school. Things look the same, and we still say that the sun rises in the east, but now we are better able to figure out how to travel in space.
In the case of psychology, it turns out that the intuitively obvious observation and explanation of stimulus and response (which permeates our culture) and the idea that the brain issues commands to our muscles are both appearances that can be readily explained by PCT. Neither is physically feasible, however—both turn out to be illusions—and neither can serve as the basis for developing a natural science.
What you can learn
Whether you are interested in resolving chronic psychological stress, understanding what is going on with an inconsolable baby, getting a different take on what emotions are, resolving conflict in general, becoming a better parent, manager, sales person, friend or lover, you will find fascinating insight when you study this new explanatory concept with care.
When you study PCT, you will be on par with any established expert on psychology since everybody has to start over from scratch. The basic requirement is thinking in terms of functional explanations and not being satisfied with word pictures.
About the book chapters
PCT results from one man’s curiosity, expertise, creativity and determination. The articles and books sampled in this volume would not have been written, certainly not this way, if it were not for William T. (Bill) Powers’s seminal insight and tireless efforts across more that fifty years.
Behavior: The Control of Perception is the major work where Bill Powers lays out PCT in some detail. Chapter 2, Premises, made a lasting impression on me when I first read it, so I asked for permission to include it here.
Making Sense of Behavior: The Meaning of Control is written to be less technical. The chapter on Perceptual Control provides a good sense of what PCT is about.
Living Control Systems I and II are anthologies of papers by Bill Powers. These provide much insight and spell out expectations for the future.
Living Control Systems III: The Fact of Control. Gary Cziko, Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois: “Living Control Systems III continues Powers’ revolutionary approach to understanding living organisms as purposeful agents whose actions serve to control their environments. A unique feature of the book is the accompanying computer programs where Powers `puts his models where his mouth is,’ graphically demonstrating how negative feedback control systems can account for a wide range of goal-oriented behavior. This book is required reading (and computing) for anyone seeking a deep understanding of the behavior of living organisms.”
Casting Nets and Testing Specimens: Two Grand Methods of Psychology From the back cover: In his book, Runkel reviews current psychological research methods (i.e. ‘casting nets’) and tells the reader in an easily understandable way what kinds of information the methods do and do not provide. Any research method is a tool appropriate in some but not all situations. The mainstream research tools of psychology are not sufficient to explain individual behavior and its causes.
Chapter One: Overview, provides a nice summary of the book’s message.
People as Living Things: The Psychology of Perceptual Control is a major work by Philip Runkel. For the story, see the paper on page 7 of this volume.
Part III, Science, and Chapter 10, Don’t Fool Yourself, provide a small sample.
The Method of Levels: How to do Psychotherapy Without Getting in the Way by Tim Carey shows clearly that you do not have to have a degree to ask very simple questions about background thoughts to assist a friend in distress. Without offering advice or commentary of any kind, you can help your trusting friend review his or her problem, finding his or her own solution by “going up a level,” looking at his or her own internal conflict “from above” and finding ways to resolve it by changing his or her sense of what is important—changing how he or she looks at the internal conflict.
The Wonder Weeks: How to stimulate your baby’s mental development and help him turn his 10 predictable, great, fussy phases into magical leaps forward is a one-of-a-kind baby book that has been providing insight and peace of mind to parents for 35 years. In the English edition (2010), Frans Plooij writes:
…It was only after we had analyzed our data and discerned a hierarchical organization that our friend and colleague Lex Cools, a neurobiologist, suggested that we compare our findings about the capabilities of [chimpanzee] infants at the different stages of development to the levels of perception spelled out by Hierarchical Perceptual Control Theory (PCT) developed by William T. Powers. PCT turned out to explain our findings very well.
…[My wife Hetty and I] moved on to observe and film human mothers and infants in their home environment. These studies demonstrated clearly that human babies, too, go through difficult age-linked regression periods in a similar way. With each difficult period, babies make a leap in their mental development. Each time another layer of perceptual control systems is superimposed onto the already existing, hierarchically organized layers of perceptual control systems.
Based on our research, Hetty and I wrote the original Dutch version of The Wonder Weeks, published in 1992 and followed in subsequent years by German, French, Swedish, Italian, Danish, Spanish, English, Japanese, Korean, and Russian editions. During the 1990s, our original research in The Netherlands was replicated and confirmed by other researchers in Spain, Britain and Sweden.
Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief Approaches to a Science of Life: Word Pictures and Correlations versus Working Modelsis a very complete record of the correspondence between two intellectual giants from the start in June 1985 through about 1990. With 500 pages of original letters reproduced here, and as much of enclosures with the letters available on the web, you witness how Phil Runkel reevaluates everything he knows about psychology. The correspondence touches on methods used in psychology and much more. Included in this prepublication preview are samples from the letters.
Management and Leadership—Insight for Effective Practice is a collection of articles that deal with the application of insight from PCT to management practices, the nature of scientific theories, and reactions by engineers to a program where Dag introduced PCT in a seminar format.
A People Primer: The Nature of Living Systems features a series of letters where Shelley Roy introduces and explains PCT to friends and colleagues in ways that makes it come alive with relevance to a variety of problems.
Enjoy chapter 3, Dear Jodene, Controlling is what living is all about.
Bill Powers: “What a blast of a book! Shelley Roy obviously has a deep and clear understanding of Perceptual Control Theory, and her style of presentation shows respect for the intelligence of the reader while at the same time making sure that her message gets across. Shelley successfully suppresses the writer’s ego and never condescends — a very nice combination.”
About the papers
The 21 papers included here cover a broad range of subjects such as feelings, therapy, management, science, and dogma.
Most of these papers have been posted at www.livingcontrolsystems.com since early 2004. Included here, they become much more accessible. There are still more at the web site including tutorials and simulations you can run on your Windows computer. Note that Bill Powers' work Living Control Systems III: The Fact of Control features significantly updated versions of these programs. These programs and the book explaining them provide an excellent introduction to PCT.
Several spell out the nature of PCT as an emerging natural science. Some, especially those by Mary Powers, tell it like it is in plain language.
Some, such as The Neglected Phenomenon of Negative Feedback Control by Bill Powers spell out the pervasive occurrence of negative feedback control throughout nature and at various levels of complexity as reported by other researchers.
Effective Personnel Management by James Soldani reports on results from the application of PCT principles at Intel’s Memory Systems Division in 1980-81. The division received Intel’s Plant of the Month award for 11 months in a row and Jim got a pat on the back. But Intel brass never asked what was done differently. Jim tells me his modus operandi working with people at the plant to achieve buy-in to the goals and cooperation from everyone around the clock can be described with reference to the paper Once Around the Loop on page 35. Jim would make every effort to “get into a person’s world” by asking to what a person was “controlling for” (PCT-speak for want) particularly in relation to their work, and what they were resisting or avoiding (disturbances). Jim would work with people to support them, facilitating their personal wants as far as possible, thus reassuring and empowering them. As a result, people in the plant watched out for problems, spoke up at daily progress meetings, took initiatives, and supported each other. As you can see from Jim’s report, the results were spectacular.
Three “Dangerous” Words is a very personal report by Tom Bourbon on his experience teaching and applying PCT. Next to Bill Powers, Tom is by far the most experienced teacher of PCT.
About The Method of Levels is a paper that ties in with the other excerpts from Tim Carey’s book. Tim has used the Method of Levels exclusively during psychotherapy for several years.
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