Ordinary psychological Predications, behavior, and analysis of behavior

• Grant number: 12/00059-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: April 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Philosophy - Epistemology
• Principal Investigator: Osvaldo Frota Pessoa Junior
• Grantee: Filipe Lazzeri Vieira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This research aims to deal with the following three questions: (i) What is the place of behavior in a plausible analysis of ordinary psychological categories (such as emotions, so-called propositional attitudes, and so on)? (ii) What is behavior (that is, what are the conditions that distinguish behaviors from non-behaviors)? (iii) Would it be legitimate and useful enough to embrace ordinary psychological concepts in a psychology understood as a natural science, especially in behavior analysis? Concerning question (i), we aim (i.1) to clarify the range of categories pertaining thereto, by providing a relatively neutral taxonomy of these categories; and (i.2) to put forward and support a particular form of behavioral approach as an answer, by drawing upon some previous behavioral approaches, among others (e.g., teleofuncionalism). The extended mind view will be assessed. Concerning question (ii), we attempt (ii.1) to clarify the concept of behavior, by distinguishing different senses thereof and elucidating, in particular, the boundaries of the concept in one of the senses relevant in (i); and (ii.2) to identify (conceptual) difficulties with some definitions of behavior found in the scientific and philosophical literature. Finally, concerning question (iii), we aim (iii.1) to present a semi-formal reconstruction of arguments supported by Skinner (radical behaviorism), Rachlin (teleological behaviorism), and Foxall (intentional behaviorism); and, based upon the approach outlined as an answer to (i), (iii.2) to provide a critical assessment of these three perspectives in this regard. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LAZZERI, FILIPE. On the Place of Behavior in the Analysis of Psychological Categories. PSYCHOLOGICAL RECORD, v. 65, n. 3, p. 567-577, SEP 2015. (12/00059-2)

LAZZERI, FILIPE. On some common objections to a behavioral approach to psychological categories. PHILOSOPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY, v. 29, n. 3, p. 405-418, APR 2 2016. (12/00059-2)

LAZZERI, FILIPE. Dynamic Interactions With the Environment Make Up Our Psychological Phenomena: A Review of Noe's Out of Our Heads. PSYCHOLOGICAL RECORD, v. 65, n. 1, p. 8-pg., 2015-03-01. (12/00059-2)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

VIEIRA, Filipe Lazzeri. Ordinary psychological categories, behavior, and behavior analysis. 2015. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH/SBD) São Paulo.