Toward Unconfounding Prediction and Control: Predictionless Control Made Possible

• Published in: Canadian journal of behavioural science 1992-04, Vol.24 (2), p.156-170
• Main Authors: NICKELS, JAMES B, CRAMER, KENNETH M, GURAL, DEBORAH M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Control; Cues; Forecasts; Human; Internal External Locus of Control; Prediction
• ISSN: 0008-400X; 1879-2669
• DOI: 10.1037/h0078704

Traditional psychology finds numerous difficulties with the concept of predictionless control. To examine whether these problems can be avoided through a reconceptualization of prediction and control, two studies introduced (a) control (nocontrol) cues which conveyed the idea that participants blindly (the experimenter randomly or a partner blindly) chose which of two durations of an aversive stimulus they would receive and (b) prediction (noprediction) cues which conveyed the idea that participants did (did not) know-after the choice had been made-which duration they would receive. Results supported the hypothesis that people with control cues (whether predictive or predictionless) will recognize this control and therefore rate their control of, influence over, responsibility for, and credit or blame regarding the outcome to be higher (and their helplessness about the outcome to be lower) than people with nocontrol cues. Participants with prediction cues gave higher prediction and confidence ratings than participants with noprediction cues. Control conditions failed to be associated with prediction and confidence ratings, and prediction conditions failed to be associated with control measures. Results were interpreted as confirming the validity and utility of the reconceptualization.