Cybernetics of behavior
Behavior cybernetics is about viewing behavior as a system regulated by goals, feedback, and performance corrections.
Definition
This is a practical application of cybernetic thinking to human action. A person compares the current state with the desired state, receives feedback and corrects behavior. In personal development, this perspective helps to move away from moralizing about failures and see whether the system has a clear goal, good measurement, feedback and possible correction.
Key ideas
- Purpose and current status
- Feedback
- Performance correction
Practice and life
For one habit, set up an adjustment loop: goal, measurement, feedback once a day and a small correction the next day.
Common misconceptions
It is a mistake to treat humans as machines. The second error is the lack of feedback, which means that the action has no way to regulate itself.
> Behavior changes more effectively when there is a goal, measurement and feedback.
> — Guru Element
Questions for self-reflection
- What purpose governs my behavior?
- What feedback do I actually collect?
- Do I have a correction after a mistake or just an assessment of myself?