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What is goal-directed behaviour?
304
D. Papakostopouios, ed. / Psychophysiology Society Abstracts, I982
THE HABITUATION
PARADIGM
IN DEVELOPMENTAL
RESEARCH
H.M. McCURK ANXIETY J.A. GRAY CARDIAC REACTIVITY
TO SPACE INVADERS
D. CARROL
4.1. PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY Symposium ARD
convened
by Demetrios
WHAT IS GOAL-DIRECTED Frederick
OF GOAL-DIRECTED
BEHAVIOUR
PAPAKOSTOPOULOS
and Rick HOW-
BEHAVIOUR?
M. TOATES
Siofogy D~po~ime~t, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
In psychology, the techniques of control theory have been applied in several areas. In both physiology and psychology, there has long been a recognition that homeostasis is a fundamental design principle. Although such ‘physiological’ homeostatic regulation, analogous to the thermostatic control of room
D. Papakostopoulos,
ed. / Psychophysiology
Society Abstracts,
1982
305
temperature, has, of course, an important goal-directed aspect, consideration of such physiological regulation has diverted attention from the precise nature of the mechanisms responsible for the animals commerce with its external environment. In its movement around its environment, location of food, water, mates etc. the animal is showing the properties of a complex servo-system; no other mechanism could perform the task. It is a servomechanism whose goals are, in part, set by internal physiological states. The two aspects of control have up to now been poorly, if at all, integrated. Historically, in psychology, there has been a tendency to dichotomize in the discussion of models of behaviour. Those following the ‘hard’ (line (e.g. Hull) saw behaviour as being the product of a prior history of reinforcement. Those (e.g. who employed such terms as ‘future states’, ‘ purpose’ and ‘goal-direction’ Tolman) were seen, not only to be mentalistic, but less scientifically rigorous. However, our present understanding of goal-orientated systems in engineering enables us, by analogy, to describe such terms as purpose and goal in mechanistic terms (Cf. Bindra, Deutsch, Powers). Cognitive maps, hedonism and contemporary learning theory will be considered in this context.
PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY BEHAVIOUR Demetrios
OF SELF INITIATED
GOAL DIRECTED
PAPAKOSTOPOULOS
Burden Neurological Institute,
Bristol, UK
Most of the experimental paradigms to study human behaviour, with psychophysiological methods, employ externally paced stimuli. However, human subjects not only react to environmental changes but they also change their environment by self initiated goal directed actions. In terms of autonomic, electromyographic (EMG) and brain electrical activity during self paced goal directed actions (Papakostopoulos, 1980), four successive periods could be distinguished: (1) Premotor period, preceding the EMG onset and dominated by reduction of the sensory-motor alpha activity, development of the Bereitschafts Potential and deceleration of the heart rate. (2) The motor-sensory period, from EMG onset to 80 msec after EMG peak. The motor cortex potential, an index of response reafferent activity oc-
D. Papakostopouios, ed. / Psychophysiology Society Abstracts, I982
THE HABITUATION
PARADIGM
IN DEVELOPMENTAL
RESEARCH
H.M. McCURK ANXIETY J.A. GRAY CARDIAC REACTIVITY
TO SPACE INVADERS
D. CARROL
4.1. PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY Symposium ARD
convened
by Demetrios
WHAT IS GOAL-DIRECTED Frederick
OF GOAL-DIRECTED
BEHAVIOUR
PAPAKOSTOPOULOS
and Rick HOW-
BEHAVIOUR?
M. TOATES
Siofogy D~po~ime~t, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
In psychology, the techniques of control theory have been applied in several areas. In both physiology and psychology, there has long been a recognition that homeostasis is a fundamental design principle. Although such ‘physiological’ homeostatic regulation, analogous to the thermostatic control of room
D. Papakostopoulos,
ed. / Psychophysiology
Society Abstracts,
1982
305
temperature, has, of course, an important goal-directed aspect, consideration of such physiological regulation has diverted attention from the precise nature of the mechanisms responsible for the animals commerce with its external environment. In its movement around its environment, location of food, water, mates etc. the animal is showing the properties of a complex servo-system; no other mechanism could perform the task. It is a servomechanism whose goals are, in part, set by internal physiological states. The two aspects of control have up to now been poorly, if at all, integrated. Historically, in psychology, there has been a tendency to dichotomize in the discussion of models of behaviour. Those following the ‘hard’ (line (e.g. Hull) saw behaviour as being the product of a prior history of reinforcement. Those (e.g. who employed such terms as ‘future states’, ‘ purpose’ and ‘goal-direction’ Tolman) were seen, not only to be mentalistic, but less scientifically rigorous. However, our present understanding of goal-orientated systems in engineering enables us, by analogy, to describe such terms as purpose and goal in mechanistic terms (Cf. Bindra, Deutsch, Powers). Cognitive maps, hedonism and contemporary learning theory will be considered in this context.
PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY BEHAVIOUR Demetrios
OF SELF INITIATED
GOAL DIRECTED
PAPAKOSTOPOULOS
Burden Neurological Institute,
Bristol, UK
Most of the experimental paradigms to study human behaviour, with psychophysiological methods, employ externally paced stimuli. However, human subjects not only react to environmental changes but they also change their environment by self initiated goal directed actions. In terms of autonomic, electromyographic (EMG) and brain electrical activity during self paced goal directed actions (Papakostopoulos, 1980), four successive periods could be distinguished: (1) Premotor period, preceding the EMG onset and dominated by reduction of the sensory-motor alpha activity, development of the Bereitschafts Potential and deceleration of the heart rate. (2) The motor-sensory period, from EMG onset to 80 msec after EMG peak. The motor cortex potential, an index of response reafferent activity oc-