The organism and the causal texture of the environment

• Published in: Psychological review 1935-01, Vol.42 (1), p.43-77
• Main Authors: Tolman, E. C, Brunswik, E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cues; Environment; Human; Psychology
• ISSN: 0033-295X; 1939-1471
• DOI: 10.1037/h0062156

The environment of an organism has the character of a complex causal texture in which certain objects may function as the local representatives of others, either by providing means-objects to the others, or by serving as cues for the others (since they are causally related to them). The simplest paradigm involving such local representation is one in which an organism is presented with a single behavior-object lying between the organism's need-goal side and its reception-reaction side, which functions either as means-object for reaching the goal or as a source of cues. Often more than one means-object is involved from several aspects (i.e. discriminanda, manipulanda, or utilitanda). And, with primitive organisms, there are often no distinctive intervening means-objects. Moreover, the causal couplings between goal and means, or between means and cue, are usually equivocal, so that the organism is forced to form hypotheses as to what goal the given means-object will most probably lead to, etc. This leads to a classification of means-objects into four types: good, ambivalent, indifferent, bad; and a classification of cues into reliable, ambiguous, non-significant, and misleading. Therefore the organism must develop cue systems which are both inclusive and finely discriminated. Such a process involves all phases of psychology.