In 1973, William T. Powers published the original version of Behavior: The Control of Perception.

In the second edition, Powers made some minor edits and clarifications and added a chapter on Emotion. This third edition, published by the Powers Family, contains all of the changes and additions included in the second edition, with a few minor typos corrected.

This is the book that forms the basis for the research conducted by the International Association for Perceptual Control Theory (https: //www.iapct.org/).

From the author:

This book represents, I hope, a step on the path back to a concept of man as autonomous, and away from the concept of man as automaton. Yet in allowing my humanistic bias to hold sway, I do not think I have denied science. Indeed, to most readers the first part of this book will seem a direct denial of my hope, for it gives a deliberately and specifically mechanistic picture of how the central nervous system behaves. Only after the mechanistic model is thoroughly understood will the reader see that it leads beyond ordinary mechanism and that it is capable of describing the interface between what we can represent as mechanism and what we cannot yet represent at all, but only experience.

The conclusion we are led to by the thinking in this book is that there is mechanism in behavior-but it is not the mechanism the behaviorists have in mind, for it is capable of having inner purposes in the full humanistic sense. On the other hand we are led also to seek not just a model of behavioral mechanisms, but a deep awareness that we are constructing a model; and we are encouraged to apply the model to ourselves.

Making Sense of Behavior, The Meaning of Control by William T. Powers is a profound and sometimes funny introduction to control theory as applied to the behavior of living things. Written for the common reader, MSOB demonstrates how living control systems really behave and interact. Deliberately simple examples peel back the layers of Powers' Perceptual Control Theory (PCT) to reveal its universal truths.PCT is taught in the Life Science disciplines in a growing number of universities worldwide. Practical PCT applications continue to the study of infants (Netherlands); the turnaround of troubled schools (USA, Australia), Leadership Training (USA, Canada).

From the author:

This is a book about human nature, as we try to guess about it by watching human behavior. It's about a particular theory that seems to fit a great deal of what we see people doing and a great deal of our own private experience. A lot of people think that this is a pretty good theory. But my object in this book is not to persuade you that the theory is right, either by itself or by comparison with other theories. My main objective is to tell you what the theory is and why it has been constructed as it is. I will tell you of the observations that I have thought needed an explanation, and of how this theory appears to explain them. You can decide for yourself whether the theory and the observations go together, and are important.

Simply put: Living organisms-people included-are control systems, and act to experience what they want to experience. You know that is what you do, and that is what control systems do.

Perceptual Control Theory (PCT) explains how living things work. PCT lays a foundation for psychology to become a science based on clear principles no less reliable than principles employed in the physical and engineering sciences. Once you understand PCT, you interpret your experiences in light of the new explanation and your outlook changes. Among other things, you will understand the nature of conflict, and how best to resolve it.

Articles, tutorials, and simulation programs are available at the publisher's website, www.livingcontrolsystems.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

WILLIAM T. POWERS has been developing PCT for over 50 years and has published numerous articles and books from 1957 through 2009.

PHILIP J. RUNKEL was Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Education at the University of Oregon.

FROM COMMENTS ON THIS VOLUME

Bill Powers is one of the clearest and most original thinkers in the history of psychology. For decades he has explored with persistence and ingenuity the profound implications of the simple idea that biological organisms are control systems. His background in engineering allowed him to avoid many of the traps that have victimized even the best psychologists of the past. I believe his contributions will stand the test of time. Henry Yin, Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience Duke University, NC

Bill Powers' work in the 20th century will prove to be as important for the life sciences as Charles Darwin's work in the 19th century. By the time this notion has become common knowledge, historians of science will be very happy with this correspondence between two giants. Frans X. Plooij, Director, International Research-institute on Infant Studies, The Netherlands

...The result of applying PCT] was a level of plant performance that had never been attained before. The plant won numerous accolades for on time delivery, line linearity, and quality. Also, teamwork between departments, which in the past had been less than ideal, improved significantly. Jim Soldani, Former Director of Systems Manufacturing, Intel

... It is often difficult for therapists to grasp the notion that there can be a precise, empirical and quantitative model of purposive, humanistic psychology-but here it is. Warren Mansell, Senior Lecturer, University of Manchester, UK

...These characteristics of PCT-its scope, its rejection of IV-DV hand-waving and 'models' that don't work, its demand for hard-science specificity and for correlations near 100%-can make it a hard sell. Those who wish to curry favor among today's makers and breakers of reputation might well steer clear. The essay Three Dangerous Words in Part II will tell you why. But those who want to do something of lasting value should pay close attention. Our colleague Phil Runkel has gone this way before us under the guidance of our mentor Bill Powers, and their 22 years of wise, articulate, witty correspondence lays out bright lights and signposts for our benefit. Bruce Nevin, Program Manager & Information Architect, Cisco Systems Inc.