BEHAVIOR (Functional)
Charles François (2004). BEHAVIOR (Functional), International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 257.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 257 ▶ |
| Object type | General information |
In order to be considered functional, any behavior must be adaptive,i.e. allow for a suitable reaction of the system to some stimuli.
However, functional behavior is more than a functional reflex, which is only a response to a command. A functional reflex may indeed endanger the system in some cases.
Functional behavior, even though its progress ceased at the reflex levels, involves the previous incorporation of a variety of possible reflexes into a subsystem:
1. which will be able to produce a considerable choice of distinct sequences, according to the general conditions (and not only to the specific stimulus)
2. which will be integrated, i.e. able to select the appropriate response.