Perceptual Control Theory: Will it Lead to a Revolution in Psychology?

Abstract

William T. Powers’ Perceptual Control Theory claims to offer principles applicable to the behaviour of all living things, yet it has received only modest attention from the behavioural sciences. Moreover, the theory describes the architecture required to model purposeful behaviour with mathematical models and robotic systems. Why does it pose a challenge to existing approaches? How can a single theory be applied to diverse fields such as human performance, robotics, neuroscience, animal behaviour, sociology, and mental health? Can the search for ‘causes’ of behaviour across these domains be replaced by a single, universal property of organisms: action as the control of sensory input?