FRONTAL LOBE DAMAGE 737 and assume in line with it that the performance of a basic routine activity,like paying the assistant when shopping,is not dependent on anterior systems once it has been selected for operation.What processes would a Supervisory System control? It is often argued that when routine actions will not achieve a goal satisfactorily the problem-solving process required involves at least four stages and that these may be called in a recursive fashion(de Groot,1965;Luria,1966;Ben-Yishay and Diller,1983). One or more potentially achievable goals must be specified:a course of action (a plan) must be drawn up,a solution attempt is then executed and finally the provisional solution assessed. It is now argued that in normal human activity plans when originally developed do not correspond to completely worked out courses of action(Suchman,1987;Ellis,1989). A consequence is that planning as a whole needs to be viewed as a more opportunistic process carried out on-line when opportunities arise or difficulties occur.There must, however,be processes related to intentions,which link the schematic plan with the potential to realize it effectively at some later time.We propose that these processes operate through the activating of markers and their later triggering to interrupt ongoing behaviour at a future time.A marker is basically a message that some future behaviour or event should not be treated as routine and instead,some particular aspect of the situation should be viewed as especially relevant for action.If the behaviour or event does occur later,then the marker would be triggered and this would lead to inhibition of the activity being carried out,the reassessment of the situation and so potentially the switching in or out of a particular course of action linked to the marker.Thus a task rule,such as not entering a shop unless something is to be bought,would be realized through a marker becoming activated when the instructions are understood,that when about to enter a shop a check should be made that something is to be bought.This marker would then be triggered by the action of approaching a shop or thinking of doing so.Many markers could be simultaneously activated. On this view the following processes are plausibly controlled by a Supervisory System although all are also likely to involve other systems (1)goal articulation;(2)provisional plan formulation;(3)marker creation;(4)marker triggering (by an appropriate mental or physical event).In addition,an evaluation process can occur at any stage and if the result is that the present situation or solution is unsatisfactory this would lead to articulation SCENARIO PROCESSES IN PRACTICAL s soon as ble (NB.no s vailable) 8.00a.m post y stamps Post Office on way to work and write letter immediately on Marker Creation 3When go to lunch-Post lette 9m 9 2.30am. (Go lunch)Marker Trigger3-Post letter. FRONTAL LOBE DAMAGE 737 and assume in line with it that the performance of a basic routine activity, like paying the assistant when shopping, is not dependent on anterior systems once it has been selected for operation. What processes would a Supervisory System control? It is often argued that when routine actions will not achieve a goal satisfactorily the problem-solving process required involves at least four stages and that these may be called in a recursive fashion (de Groot, 1965; Luria, 1966; Ben-Yishay and Diller, 1983). One or more potentially achievable goals must be specified: a course of action (a plan) must be drawn up, a solution attempt is then executed and finally the provisional solution assessed. It is now argued that in normal human activity plans when originally developed do not correspond to completely worked out courses of action (Suchman, 1987; Ellis, 1989). A consequence is that planning as a whole needs to be viewed as a more opportunistic process carried out on-line when opportunities arise or difficulties occur. There must, however, be processes related to intentions, which link the schematic plan with the potential to realize it effectively at some later time. We propose that these processes operate through the activating of markers and their later triggering to interrupt ongoing behaviour at a future time. A marker is basically a message that some future behaviour or event should not be treated as routine and instead, some particular aspect of the situation should be viewed as especially relevant for action. If the behaviour or event does occur later, then the marker would be triggered and this would lead to inhibition of the activity being carried out, the reassessment of the situation and so potentially the switching in or out of a particular course of action linked to the marker. Thus a task rule, such as not entering a shop unless something is to be bought, would be realized through a marker becoming activated when the instructions are understood, that when about to enter a shop a check should be made that something is to be bought. This marker would then be triggered by the action of approaching a shop or thinking of doing so. Many markers could be simultaneously activated. On this view the following processes are plausibly controlled by a Supervisory System, although all are also likely to involve other systems (1) goal articulation; (2) provisional plan formulation; (3) marker creation; (4) marker triggering (by an appropriate mental or physical event). In addition, an evaluation process can occur at any stage and if the result is that the present situation or solution is unsatisfactory this would lead to articulation TABLE 6. SIMPLE SCENARIO TO ILLUSTRATE COMPONENT PROCESSES IN PRACTICAL PROBLEM SOLUTION 7.45 a.m. Situation: receive urgent letter. 7.50 a.m. Goal Articulation: to reply as soon as possible (NB, no stamp available). 8.00 a.m. Plan formulation: decide to buy stamps at Post Office on way to work and write letter immediately on arrival and post it at lunchtime. Marker Creation 1—When leaving underground — Go to P.O. Marker Creation 2—When arrive work — Write brief letter (if not possible on arrival—carry out Plan Modification). Marker Creation 3—When go to lunch — Post letter. 9.00 a.m. (Leave Underground) Marker Trigger 1 — Go to P.O. 9.15 a.m. (Arrival work) Marker Trigger 2 — Write letter*. 12.30 a.m. (Go lunch) Marker Trigger 3 - Post letter. * If not possible to write letter at that time plan modification occurs and new markers set up. by guest on April 8, 2016 http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/ Downloaded from