Predictive and experimentally testable psychological-mathematical theory is suggested for attitude, desire, need, attention, and will. It has been partially confirmed experimentally. These are the hallmark characteristics of science. It offers further research opportunities to experimental psychologists.

Yes

Yes

Yes

NA

Yes

N/A. A new direction for experiments is opened

Yes

Dr. Ovsich developed an interesting psychological-mathematical theory, HOCHT, addressing attitude, desire, need, attention, and will as facets of the choice making. Choice is considered an umbrella term for these psychological entities.

In this sense it is aligned with contemporary BDI theories of choice considering belief, desire and intention to be components of choice. His theory addresses the main problems with BDI theories, which do not clearly define their main terms, i.e. belief, desire, intention. Contrary to them HOCHT defines every major term and its connections to the other ones. HOCHT is a true scientific theory using predictive models, corresponding to our intuition, and testing predictions experimentally. First, it defines basic psychological entities, second, it relates them mathematically, and third, it makes testable predictions. It goes from a fundamental first principle to a wide range of experimentally testable predicted phenomena. In implementing this fundamental scientific approach HOCHT is “physics of the mind” in regard to the hedonic aspects of the mind.

It is refreshing to see that standard methods of the mathematical analysis of physical reality can be applied to such a phantom psychological concept as desire. I find HOCHT theoretical

claims to be perfectly intuitive, a desirable property for a psychological theory. A good example of it is HOCHT’s definitions of desire and need and its description of the dynamics of their interaction.

HOCHT expresses attitude, desire, need, attention, and will as functions of the same variable, Pleasantness of the State of a Subject, PSS. This is conceptually in sync with the classical hedonistic approach. It is important that HOCHT clearly defines and extensively analyses PSS, its many aspects, and their implications. I find HOCHT approach to Pleasantness as a vectorial variable and its following analysis interesting. It includes HOCHT definition of the Vectorial

and Scalar subspaces of consciousness and their roles in orientation.

It is noticeable that already there is some experimental support to the mathematical model of desire proposed by Ovisch (Ovsich & Cabanac, 2012). Experimental Support of the Mathematical Model of Desire. International Journal of Psychological Studies.Vol.4. No. 1; doi:10.5539/ijps.v4n1p66, http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ijps.v4n1p66). I think that HOCHT can use more experimental proofs of its theoretical claims, and I am sure experimental psychologists will devote their attention to this opportunity. I would emphasize again, predictive mathematical models, describing a wide range of phenomena according to intuition, and validated by experiments is a hallmark of science.

To summarize, HOCHT is an interesting attempt to present a theory of motivation and choice at the level of clarity and precision of the hard science.

It is a significant step toward recognizing that Hedonism, which treats subjective pleasantness as a fundamental motivating factor, belongs to cornerstones of psychology.

Perlovsky, L.I. (2006a). Toward Physics of the Mind: Concepts, Emotions, Consciousness, and Symbols. Phys. Life Rev. 3(1), pp.22-55.

485 publications

The paper presents new, simple, closely integrated mathematical models of attitude, desire, need, attention, and will. This is very important.

Yes

Yes

Yes

NA

Yes

Yes

Yes

A science reaches its highest level of perfection when its laws can be expressed mathematically. This is exactly what Alexander Ovsich has achieved with the Science of Psychology in this book-size article.

The first step of any scientific approach is somewhat qualitative, it is just Model building. Models can be simply theoretical black boxes and arrows; but they can also go one step further in sophistication and put number values in both the boxes and arrows. Such a task is the actual ultimate goal of scientific knowledge. Alexander Ovsich has tackled such building  of a most difficult model, in his study of motivation that integrates physiology and psychology. 

Although the book’s initial message was aimed at the hedonics, I’d call it above the Science of Psychology because this whole science is indeed mathematically analyzed and modeled in the book. The reason for such development from hedonics to general psychology comes from the mathematical language itself: the prerequisite to be able to quantify any parameter and variable is to define it first. Thus, starting from hedonics, Ovsich carried on to provide careful, precise, and, often new, definitions to be able to model Attitude, Belief, Desire, Need, Attention, Will. The result was that all Psychology was eventually carefully modeled.

Such a contribution is of paramount importance in view of future building of thinking, humanoid robots.  Of course, considering Teilhard de Chardin’s estimate of the astronomical level of complexity of the human brain as 10²⁵, human-built robots have a very long way to go.  However, what Ovsich has accomplished is the first step, the basis for such an achievement.

Finally, a last enthusiastic word.  Non-mathematicians should not be intimidated by the multiple, though simple mathematical equations of the book. This is because each of them is analyzed in common language, and further illustrated with examples taken from our daily life, making reading of the book even more enjoyable.

Cabanac, M. (2010). The Fifth Influence. The Dialectics of Pleasure. iUniverse Books, 2010, ISBN: 978-1-4401-8836-7. English translation of the: La cinquième influence, ou La dialectique du plaisir. 2003. Québec: Presses de l'Université Laval.

Yes