A New Paradigm for Psychology: The Mind as a Stack of Control Systems

2025-05-15
A New Paradigm for Psychology: The Mind as a Stack of Control Systems

This article tackles the long-standing issue of psychology's lack of a unifying paradigm, proposing a new framework based on control systems – cybernetic psychology. It argues the mind is a collection of control systems, each regulating a specific human need (e.g., nutrition, temperature), with error signals representing emotions. This approach offers a novel perspective on personality and mental illness, shifting psychology from symptom-based descriptions to exploring underlying mechanisms, potentially revolutionizing treatment approaches.