Well, I see humans sometimes as simple machines. We have
anticipation/expectation mechanisms always functioning. We have
receptors that bring in reality. Then we have comparators
inbetween. [yes, it's a computational metaphor] When the
anticipation doesn't match up to reality, we react. In short,
these reactions are expansions of cognitive dissonance. Of
course, computational metaphors aren't as fun as evolutionary
ones smile emoticon