Abstract

TOURINHO, Emmanuel Zagury. Thinking: Social behavior and cultural practices. Acta comport. [online]. 2012, vol.20, n.4, pp. 96-110. ISSN 0188-8145.

The paper discusses the behavior of "thinking", from the standpoint of Behavior Analysis. Begining with the refutation of Cartesian individualistic epistemology, it suggests not only that dualism should be rejected, but also that cognitive phenomena should be acknowledged as comprising relationships between an individual and his/her environment. The concept of private events is introduced to assert that it tends to distract from behavioral relations, while it may also be useful to stress come cultural contingencies that promote responding with reduced observability, which may be part of a network of relationships that define cognitions. Such networks are discussed in the light of the central role played by verbal behavior, and possible cultural components. It is pointed out that the needed conceptual and methodological resources to identify those relations are under development. Based on Glenn's assertions concerning the study of cultural selection, it is suggested that those resources should comprise the approach of metacontingencies, in order to explain the circumstances under which thinking comprises relations that have been selected in that level.

Keywords : Cognition; thinking; cultural practices.

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