the organism. By extension, the elaboration of the theory constitutes a general model of cognitive process and behavior. With every specific model or simulation of behavior that is constructed and tested against observed data, the general model that is presented in the theory is exposed to potential challenge that could call for revision or could lead to refutation. Mathematics To illustrate the mathematical calculations employed in a PCT simulation, consider a pursuit tracking task in which the participant keeps a mouse cursor aligned with a moving target on a computer monitor. The model assumes that a perceptual signal within the participant represents the magnitude of the input quantity qi. (This has been demonstrated to be a rate of firing in a neuron, at least at the lowest levels.) In the tracking task, the input quantity is the vertical distance between the target position T and the cursor position C, and the random variation of the target position acts as the disturbance d of that input quantity. This suggests that the perceptual signal p quantitatively represents the cursor position C minus the target position T, as expressed in the equation p=C–T. Between the perception of target and cursor and the construction of the signal representing the distance between them there is a delay of τ milliseconds, so that the working perceptual signal at time t represents the target-to-cursor distance at a prior time, t – τ. Consequently, the equation used in the model is 1. p(t) = C(t–τ) – T(t–τ) The negative feedback control system receives a reference signal r which specifies the magnitude of the given perceptual signal which is currently intended or desired. (For the origin of r within the organism, see under "A hierarchy of control", below.) Both r and p are input to a simple neural structure with r excitatory and p inhibitory. This structure is called a "comparator". The effect is to subtract p from r, yielding an error signal e that indicates the magnitude and sign of the difference between the desired magnitude r and the currently input magnitude p of the given perception. The equation representing this in the model is: 2. e = r–p The error signal e must be transformed to the output quantity qo (representing the participant's muscular efforts affecting the mouse position). Experiments have shown that in the best model for the output function, the mouse velocity Vcursor is proportional