At 4:34 PM -0500 11/19/01, Hershberger, Tom wrote: > "Target fixation" is the idea that you will walk, run, aim, or drive >where you are looking. It is widely used in the military and racecar >driving. It purported works something like this. I am driving down the road >and discover an obstacle in my path. The argument goes that I should look >where I want to go, not at the obstacle. By looking at the obstacle I will >have a tendency to steer towards it, rather than away---splat, not the >desired outcome. > > This seems like something psychologist should know something about. >The problem is that I with a quick search of PsychInfo and a few other >databases produced nothing on point. > >Any ideas if this is a real phenomenon?
Sounds like it might be related to the phenomenon of "sign tracking" (orientation to a stimulus that predicts reinforcement, rather than to the source of the reinforcement) in Learning Theory. * PAUL K. BRANDON [EMAIL PROTECTED] * * Psychology Dept Minnesota State University, Mankato * * 23 Armstrong Hall, Mankato, MN 56001 ph 507-389-6217 * * http://www.mankato.msus.edu/dept/psych/welcome.html * --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
