Análise da proposta de william baum para a subjetividade: uma pesquisa conceitual

Abstract

RESUMO Para Skinner, a distinção entre eventos privados e públicos não é a mesma que há entre eventos físicos e mentais. A partir disso, o campo da subjetividade passa a ser uma possibilidade de estudo na Análise do Comportamento (AC). Baum, no entanto, entende que considerar eventos encobertos na AC é incluir eventos cujos efeitos sobre acontecimentos públicos não podem ser medidos ou observados, impossibilitando seu estudo científico. A solução para isso seria, então, adotar a visão molar do comportamento e observá-lo em escalas de tempo mais longas. Partindo dessa proposição, esta pesquisa buscou analisar vantagens e problemas em adotar a visão de Baum a partir de artigos que a discutam. Foram examinados 16 artigos e os principais problemas apontados recorriam a argumentos sobre a adoção da interpretação como método de investigação científica, a definição de privacidade, observabilidade e de monismo e ainda a possibilidade de que eventos privados participem do controle de respostas públicas. Como principal vantagem destacou-se a utilidade de analisar padrões estendidos, em alguns casos. Conclui-se que mesmo havendo limitações na interpretação de Skinner para a subjetividade, o argumento de Baum de que ela é inútil em uma ciência do comportamento não é aceito por importantes autores behavioristas.___ABSTRACT Skinner argues that the distinction between private and public events is not the same as between physical and mental events. From this, the field of subjectivity becomes a possibility of study in Behavior Analysis. Baum, however, understands that considering covert events in Behavior Analysis is to include events whose effects on public events cannot be measured or observed, making impossible their scientific study. According to Baum, the temptation to use covert events in the explanation of public behavior arises only when it is analyzed on too short a time scale. Thus, adopting the molar view of behavior and observing it on longer time scales would eliminate the need to resort to these events to explain behavior. Based on this proposition, this research sought to analyze the advantages and problems of adopting Baum's proposal from the reading of articles that discuss this proposal. Sixteen articles were examined using the “cited by” function of Google Scholar. After reading the articles, categories were created that brought together similar arguments, extracted from the analyzed texts. Seven of the categories pointed out problems in Baum's proposal (Philosophical Principles; Behavior Analysis would be incomplete; Method of science; Private events affect behavior; Empirical data; Confused; and Rejection of Molar Behaviorism) and three categories had advantages (Benefits of extended patterns; Relevant alternatives; Private events belong to other sciences). The main problems presented referred to arguments about the adoption of interpretation as a method of scientific investigation, the definition of privacy, observability and monism, the relevance of private events in people's lives, and the possibility that private events participate in the control of public responses. As main advantages, the utility of, in some cases, analyzing extended patterns stood out, and the fact that Baum's proposal raises questions about the concept of subjectivity that otherwise would not have been asked. It was observed that few of the analyzed articles presented empirical or experimental research data that supported the statements regarding the maintenance of events covered up in the Behavior Analysis. Still, even articles that rejected Skinner's proposal did not completely reject the usefulness of considering thoughts and feelings in behavioral science. Conceptual studies allow the refinement of the definition of a given concept and better understand its relationship with other concepts of a given theory. Therefore, this type of research allows us to substantiate the decision on which concepts to keep and which to exclude from Behaviorism. Furthermore, experimental and applied investigations are also based on what is found in conceptual research. Thus, the results of this work on subjectivity can bring benefits to several fields of research in Behavior Analysis.