Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background South Africa is the country with the largest number of HIV infections in the world. As behaviour change initiatives have been suboptimal in curbing the spread of the pandemic, an HIV vaccine is likely to be an important development as a biological agent may circumvent some of the challenges of initiating widespread behaviour change. The development of an HIV vaccine will require several thousands of HIV negative participants who are at high risk of HIV infection to participate in HIV vaccine clinical trials. Before recruitment for such trials may begin, various scientific, ethical, and sociobehavioural issues need to be considered. One of the key sociobehavioural issues concerns the willingness of individuals at high risk of HIV infection to participate in HIV vaccine trials. However, a psychometric measure of willingness to participate (WTP) has not been constructed, and there is a paucity of theory to guide studies of WTP. Objectives The first objective of this study was to construct a psychometric measure of WTP in an HIV vaccine trial, and to derive the exploratory factor structure of the measure. The second objective was to examine the extent to which the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) could predict variance in WTP, and to determine whether the TPB was strengthened by the inclusion of mistrust of researchers, knowledge of HIV vaccines and HIV vaccine trials, altruism, and perceived risk of HIV infection as additional predictor variables. Methodology This study was a research survey with a cross-sectional design. A convenience sample of 399 participants was recruited from an urban-informal settlement near Cape Town. As 79 of the questionnaires were poorly completed, the final sample size was 320. To develop a measure of WTP in an HIV vaccine trial, an item pool was developed whereby items directly reflected inhibitors and facilitators of WTP. After an iterative process of refinement, the final scale consisted of 35 items and was named the Willingness to Participate Scale (WTPS). A principal component Kaiser normalised exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on the items that constituted the WTPS. This procedure was performed to identify latent factors which were informed by the items of the scale. To test the predictive capacity of the TPB and the additional predictor variables, a two-step linear hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed. At step 1, the TPB variables were entered simultaneously. At step 2, the TPB variables along with the additional predictor variables were entered simultaneously. Results The WTPS demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = 0.90) and initial construct validity, as evidenced by the presence of seven latent factors. The factors accounted for 53.15% of the variance in WTP and were: (i) Social approval and trust; (ii) Stigmatisation; (iii) Personal costs; (iv) Personal gains; (v) Personal risks; (vi) Convenience; and (vii) Safety. The TPB significantly accounted for 6.4% (R² = 0.06) of the variance in WTP [F(3, 316) = 7.16, p < 0.001], yielding a small effect size (ƒ2 = 0.06). The TPB, together with mistrust, knowledge of HIV vaccines and HIV vaccine trials, altruism, and perceived risk of HIV infection as additional predictor variables significantly accounted for 10.2% (R² = 0.10) of the variance in WTP [F(7, 312) = 5.06, p < 0.001], yielding a small to medium effect size (ƒ2 = 0.11). Subjective norms, mistrust of researchers, altruism, and perceived risk of HIV infection were significant independent predictors of WTP. Conclusion Against the backdrop of the study limitations, the results of this study provide initial support for the reliability and construct validity of the WTPS among the most eligible trial participants in the Western Cape of South Africa. The findings also suggest that the TPB may not be an appropriate theoretical framework for predicting WTP in an HIV vaccine trial in this context. Nonetheless, normative pressure by others, mistrust of researchers, altruism, and perceived risk of HIV infection may influence WTP in this population. Implications for future research are discussed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond Suid afrika is die land met die hoogste getal HIV infeksies in die wêreld. Vir die ontwikkeling van 'n HIV entstof, sal daar vereis word dat duisende HIV negatiewe deelnemers, wat 'n hoë risko kans staan om HIV infeksie op te doen, moet deelneem aan 'n kliniese HIV vaksine proeftog. Verskeie, wetenskaplike, etiese en sosiale gedrags punte moet oorweeg word, voor die werwing van sulke proefnemings. Een van die hoof aspekte van sosiale gedrags punte is die bereidwillgheid van 'n individu om blootgestel te word aan die HIV infeksie tydens die proeftog. 'n Psigometriese skatting van bereidwiligheid om deel te neem (BODTN) is egter nog nie gekonstruktureer nie en daar is 'n skaarste/geringheid in studies om as gids te dien vir die BODTN. Doel Die eerste doel van hierdie studie was om 'n psigometriese skatting van BODTN in ’n HIV vaksiene proefneming te konstruktureer, en om die ondersoekings oorsaak/faktor struktuur daarvan te meet en af te lei. Die tweede doel was om ondersoek in te stel of die omvang van die Teorie van Beplande Gedrag (TBG) verskille kan voorspel in die BODTN, en om vas te stel of die TBG versterk word deur die insluiting van wantroue in navorsers, kennis van HIV vaksienes en HIV vaksiene proefnemings, altruïsme, en die begrypbare risko van HIV infeksie as adisionele voorspellers. Metode Hierdie studie is 'n navorsings ondersoek met 'n deursneeproef ontwerp. ’n Grieflike aantal van 399 deelnemers was gewerf van 'n informele nedersetting naby Kaapstad. Die finale getal was 320 omdat 79 nie die vraelys korrek on volledig ingevul het nie. Na 'n interaktiewe proses van suiwering/verfyning, het die finale skaal uit 35 items bestaan en word die skaal benoem na die Willingness to Participate Scale (WTPS). Die prinsipale komponent Kaiser normaliseer EFA wat gedoen was op die items wat die WTPS konstitueer. Hierdie prosedure was gedoen om die latente faktore te identifiseer wat beskikbaar gestel was deur die items van die skaal. Om die voorspelbare kapasiteit van die TBG en die adisionele voorspelbare verskille te toets, het ons 'n twee stap hiërargiese veelvoudige agteruitgaan analise gebruik. By stap 1 was die TBG veranderlikes gelyktydig ingedruk. By stap 2 is die TBG veranderlikes tesame met die adisionele voorspellers in gedruk. Resultate Die WTPS het uitstekende interne konsistensie en 'n aanvanklike geldigheid gedemonstreer, soos bewys deur die teenwoordigheid van die 7 latente faktore. Die faktore verantwoord 53.15% van die verskil in WTP en was: (i) Sosiale aanvaarding en vertroue; (ii) Stigma; (iii) Persoonlike koste; (iv) Persoonlike wins/profyt; (v) Persoonlike risiko's; (vi) Gerieflikheid; en (vii) Veiligheid. Die TBG verantwoord 6.4% (R²=0.06) van die verskil in BODTN [F(3.316) = 7.16, p<0.001] met 'n toegewende klein groote uitwerking/uitslag. Die TBG tesame met wantroue, kennis van HIV vaksienes en HIV vaksiene proefnemings, altruïsme, en begrypbare risko van HIV infeksie as adisionele voorspellers, verwantwoord 10.2% (R²=0.10) van die verskil in BODTN [F(7.312 = 5.06, p<0.001], met 'n toegewende klein tot medium groote uitwerking/uitslag (f²=0.11). Subjektiewe norme, wantroue in navorsers, altruïsme, en 'n beprypbare risko van HIV infeksie was betekenisvolle, onafhanklike voorspellers van die BODTN. Gevolgtrekking Teen die agtergrond van die studie beperkinge, het die resultate van hierdie studie ondersteuning voorsien aan die vertroubaarheid en konstruktiewe geldigheid van die WTPS onder die mees geskikste proef deelnemers in die Wes Kaap van Suid Afrika. Die bevinding stel ook voor dat die TBG nie altyd 'n geskikte teoretiese raamwerk is vir die voorspelling van die BODTN in 'n HIV vaksiene proefneming in hierdie konteks is nie. Des nie teen staande, normale druk van ander, wanrtroue in navorsers, altruïsme en die begrypbare infeksie van HIV kan die populasie deur die BODTN beinvloed word. Implikasies vir toekomstige navorsing is bespreek.

The problem of this study is to determine the relative effectiveness of the three counseling procedures of modeling, assertive training, and modeling plus assertive training for increasing assertive behavior in low assertive junior college students.

An experiment was conducted to study the role of "positive expectancy" when utilizing anxiety-relief conditioning. Fourteen male and female undergraduate psychology students were selected as subjects (Ss), based on pre-test scores obtained on the "Snake Intimacy Test" (SIT). Ss were matched according to pre-SIT scores and randomly assigned to the "positive expectancy" or "no expectancy" groups. Anxiety relief conditioning was administered without variation. Only the rationale given each group describing what was transpiring was different. The statistical results revealed significant improvement by both groups. Also, the "positive expectancy" group improved significantly over the "no expectancy" group. Therefore, "positive expectancy" is apparently a sufficient, but not necessary, variable of anxiety-relief conditioning.

One of the newer techniques to be utilized in the treatment of a variety of behavioral disorders is anxiety-relief conditioning (Thorpe, Schmidt, Brown, and Castell, 1964; Solyom and Miller, 1967; Wolpe and Lazarus, 1966). In its theoretical formulation, reciprocal inhibition by anxiety-relief is similar to Wolpe's reciprocal inhibition by progressive relaxation (Solyom and Miller, 1967). Whereas Wolpe's method utilizes Jacobsonian relaxation principles to provide the medium through which anxiety is reciprocally inhibited, the procedure employed in anxiety-relief conditioning utilizes the relief following termination of an aversive stimulus to set an occasion which will permit reciprocal inhibition to take place. Many of the problems encountered in relaxation induction and control are thus avoided (Wolpe, 1958; Thorpe et al., 1964). Anxiety-relief conditioning appears to have been successful in patients that previously had been unsuccessfully treated by psychotherapy and chemotherapy for as long as 20 years (Myers, 1957; Thorpe et al., 1964; Solyom and Miller, 1967). Solyom and Miller reported successfully treating six of seven phobic patients who complained of severe depression, difficulty in interpersonal relationships and anxiety attacks when meeting people, as well as excessive fear of crowded places. These patients had an average length of illness of 11.1 years, ranging from 2 to 20 years. Patients were treated for a mean of 19.5 sessions with no evidence of symptom substitution or reappearance of the phobic fear upon follow-up (Solyom and Miller, 1967). Although the authors cited above have all reported case studies of successful therapeutic applications of anxiety-relief conditioning techniques, there have been few experimental studies of the efficacy of this technique. A recent experiment failed to refute the hypothesis that noxious stimulation and/or habituation, rather than aversion-relief, contribute to the beneficial therapeutic effects noted. This study left unanswered the question of which variables contribute to aversion-relief conditioning (Solyom, L., McClure, Heseltine, Ledwidge, and Solyom, C., 1972). The present study was undertaken to further explore the relevant variables in aversion-relief conditioning. It was hypothesized that reduction of fear to a phobic stimulus would be significantly greater among subjects who viewed the phobic stimulus while experiencing the pleasant sensation associated with aversion-relief than among subjects who viewed the phobic stimulus after the effects of aversion-relief had presumably dissipated.

Sob o tema do comportamento o presente trabalho se propõe a estabelecer um diálogo entre dois autores, um representante da escola behaviorista, Burrhus Frederic Skinner (1904-1990), e outro representante da escola fenomenológica, Maurice Merleau-Ponty (1908-1961). Para atingir esse objetivo foram escolhidas uma obra de cada autor como referência primária: Science and Human Behavior e La Structure du Comportement, respectivamente. A escolha desses livros e autores em específico foi propiciada, principalmente, pelos seguintes motivos: a) a generalidade com a qual o diálogo entre behaviorismo e fenomenologia é tratado na literatura pertinente gera muitos equívocos pela ausência da experiência dos comentadores com uma ou outra escola; b) Merleau-Ponty apresenta uma proposta para o estudo do comportamento e dialoga com uma perspectiva que também lida com os aspectos comportamentais, o behaviorismo; c) Merleau-Ponty apresenta uma crítica aos behaviorismos de Watson, Tolman e Tilquin, mas não discute com o behaviorismo de Skinner, permanecendo incerto o grau em que essas críticas o atingem, se é que o atingem, e as possibilidades de um diálogo positivo. A tese segue três momentos. No primeiro há uma contextualização da fenomenologia de Merleau-Ponty. No segundo há uma contextualização do behaviorismo de Skinner. No terceiro momento há o diálogo entre os autores fundamentado na análise de suas obras e da literatura pertinente. Nesse diálogo foram examinadas a crítica merleau-pontyana ao behaviorismo e algumas aproximações entre a noção de comportamento em Skinner e a noção de comportamento em Merleau-Ponty. Como resultado vimos que, em ao menos uma interpretação possível, as noções de comportamento em Skinner e Merleau-Ponty tem alguns sentidos em comum: o afastamento do reducionismo biológico e do mentalismo; e a aproximação com o antidualismo, a fenomenologia, o naturalismo, o caráter dialético e o organismo como um todo. / This thesis aims to establish a dialogue between two authors, Burrhus Frederic Skinner (1904-1990), from a behavioristic point of view, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty (1908-1961), from a phenomenologic point of view. To reach this subject-matter, it was choosen one book of each author as a primary reference : Science and Human Behavior and La Structure du Comportement. The chose of this authors and books, especifically, was mainly motivated by this reasons : a) the generality by the dialogue beetween behaviorism and phenomenology is treated in the pertinent literature produces several misconceptions about how this psychological or philosophical aproachs are treated ; b) Merleau-Ponty shows a proposal to study behavior and dialogues with behaviorism, a perspective that also study the behavior ; c) Merleau-Ponty shows a critique about the Watsons, Tolmans and Tilquins behaviorism, but dont deal with Skinners behaviorism, remaining uncertain the extent by which this critique reachs radical behaviorism, and the possibilities of a positive dialogue. This thesis follows three moments. First, contextualization of the Merleau-Pontys phenomenology. Second, contextualization of Skinners behaviorism. Third, shows a dialogue beetween the authors based upon their books analysis and the pertinent literature. In this dialogue was examined the Merleau-Pontyan criticism to behaviorism and some rapprochements between Skinners notion of behavior and Merleau-Pontys notion of behavior. We concluded by a comum core possibility between their notions of behavior: the deviation from the biological reductionism and from the mentalism ; and the rapprochement with antidualism, phenomenology, naturalism, dialetics, and the organism as a whole.

Uma das principais características do Behaviorismo Radical de B. F. Skinner (1904-1990) é sua crítica sistemática às explicações mentalistas para o comportamento. Contudo, o próprio conceito de Mentalismo pode ter muitos sentidos. O objetivo do trabalho foi descrever o que Skinner definia por Mentalismo e que críticas fazia a ele no período de 1931-1959. Após a análise de alguns trabalhos de Skinner nesse período, observou-se que o Mentalismo criticado entre os anos 30 e 40 foi principalmente o presente na Fisiologia Conceitual e nos Behaviorismos de Tolman, Hull, Boring e Stevens. Do final dos anos 40 até 1959, a crítica era dirigida especialmente à Psicanálise de Freud e à Psicologia da Consciência. Em relação aos tipos de críticas feitas por Skinner, não foram observadas mudanças significativas na argumentação de Skinner. As objeções foram apoiadas principalmente na natureza não científica de tais explicações, em sua circularidade, no seu reducionismo, no seu efeito negativo de afastar o estudo do comportamento em si mesmo, impedindo dessa forma a identificação das causas reais da ação, atrasando assim a criação de uma tecnologia do comportamento capaz de ajudar na solução de problemas humanos. Discute-se também como o Antimentalismo seria a principal razão de existir do Behaviorismo Radical, que teria a responsabilidade de abrir espaço para uma Ciência do Comportamento que viesse a substituir a própria Psicologia. As possibilidades dessa missão ser bem sucedida também são avaliadas. / One of the main characteristics of B. F. Skinner's Radical Behaviorism (1904-1990) is his constant criticism against mentalistic explanations for behavior. However, the concept of Mentalism itself may have several different meanings. The purpose of this work is to describe what Skinner meant by Mentalism and what criticism he made against it between 1931 and 1959. After analyzing some of Skinners' works at that period, it was noticed that the Mentalism criticized between the 30's and 40's was the one that was found at Conceptual Physiology and at Tolman, Hull, Boring and Stevens' Behaviorism. From the late 40's to 1959, criticism was directed specially towards Freud's Psychoanalysis and to the Psychology of Consciousness. In relation to the type of criticism made by Skinner, no meaningful change in his argumentation was found. The objections were mainly supported by the non-scientific nature of such explanations, their circularity and reductionism, their negative effect of avoiding the study of behavior in itself, in this way, preventing the identification of the real causes of action, then delaying the creation of a behavioral technology capable of helping to find the solution to human problems. It was also discussed how Antimentalism would be the main reason for the existence of Radical Behaviorism which would be responsible for leading the way to a Science of Behavior that would replace Psychology itself. The possibilities of success of such endeavor will also be evaluated.

Det har blivit allt vanligare att tala om miljöfrågor som en av vår tids stora ödesfrågor. Kopplingar mellan religiositet och miljöengagemang är många och i vårt aktuella samhällsklimat kan det vara lämpligt att undersöka ifall det föreligger signifikanta samband dem emellan. Hittills har den empirin som undersökt frågan gett mycket delade och omdebatterade meningar. Den här uppsatsen använder Durkheims definition av religion som en universell företeelse för att bidra med ytterligare ett intressant perspektiv. Sociologisk teori om hur individen beter sig på ett visst sätt enskilt och på ett annat i stunder av intensiv kollektiv gemenskap leder även till antagandet att religiositet kan påverka individuellt och kollektivt miljöengagemang på olika sätt.  Av den anledningen testas hypoteserna att religiositet har en positiv effekt på en individs nivå av miljövänligt beteende medan det har en negativ effekt på en individs benägenhet att delta i en kollektiv miljöaktion. Resultatet visar att det föreligger ett positivt samband mellan religiositet, mätt i frekvens av gudstjänstdeltagande, och miljövänligt beteende i vardagen, men inget signifikant samband med benägenhet att delta i en kollektiv miljöaktion. Studiens resultat tyder även på att kontrollvariablerna utbildningsnivå, kontinent och kön har ett bättre prediktionsvärde för miljöengagemang än religiositet har. Slutsatsen är emellertid att religiositet kan ha olika effekter på individuellt och kollektivt miljöengagemang.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2018-12-17T11:52:26Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcos Spector Azoubel.pdf: 2557263 bytes, checksum: dff43b7f530ff19e4a1a030a746b04d2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-17T11:52:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcos Spector Azoubel.pdf: 2557263 bytes, checksum: dff43b7f530ff19e4a1a030a746b04d2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-11-30 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The behavior of the scientist is subject to the same laws as any other behavior. It differs from other behaviors because of the contingencies set by the scientific community. Part of the events presented by the scientific community is composed by the reactions of its members to new data and new conceptual proposals. Such reactions seem to play an important role in the emergence of new scientific theories and in the modification of preexisting theories. Based on this, the general objective of this work was to historically analyze the development of the concept of stimulus equivalence in Murray Sidman's work, some reactions of the scientific community to Sidman's data and conceptual proposals on stimulus equivalence, and to examine Sidman's responses to the reactions of these authors. From these general objectives, three studies were carried out in order to build and characterize a list of Sidman's publications; to examine the development of the concept of equivalence of stimuli between 1971 and 1994; to analyze the reactions of the scientific community to Sidman (1971), between 1971 and 1982; to briefly characterize the works published between 1982 and 1994 that quoted Sidman (1971) and/or Sidman and Tailby (1982); to analyze a possible dialogue between Sidman and S. Hayes between 1982 and 1994. It was possible to verify, during the period between 1971 and 1982, that Sidman and his collaborators ivestigated problems that appeared in literature outside behavior analysis, such as neurology and neurolinguistics, but that their research did not have a strong impact on these scientific communities. Nor does there seem to have been especially relevant contributions from members of the scientific community for the development of the concept of stimulus equivalence. Later, between 1982 and 1994, the impact on the scientific community was notably increased, especially among behavioral analysts, and researches and discussions by community members, in addition to Sidman's direct collaborators, seem to have exerted influence in the development of the concept / O comportamento do cientista está sujeito às mesmas leis que qualquer outro comportamento. Ele difere-se dos outros comportamentos por conta das contingências dispostas pela comunidade científica. Parte dos eventos apresentados pela comunidade científica é composta pelas reações de seus membros a novos dados e a novas propostas conceituais. Tais reações parecem exercer importante papel no surgimento de novas teorias científicas e na modificação de teorias pré-existentes. Com base nisso, o objetivo geral deste trabalho foi analisar historicamente o desenvolvimento do conceito de equivalência de estímulos na obra de Murray Sidman, algumas reações da comunidade científica aos dados e às propostas conceituais de Sidman sobre equivalência de estímulos e examinar respostas de Sidman às reações dos autores. A partir desses objetivos gerais, foram realizados três estudos com intuito de listar e caracterizar as publicações de Sidman; examinar o desenvolvimento do conceito de equivalência de estímulos, entre 1971 e 1994; analisar as reações da comunidade científica ao trabalho de Sidman (1971), entre 1971 e 1982; caracterizar brevemente os trabalhos publicados entre 1982 e 1994 que citaram Sidman (1971) e/ou Sidman e Tailby (1982); analisar um possível diálogo entre Sidman e S. Hayes, entre 1982 e 1994. Foi possível verificar, no período entre 1971 e 1982, que Sidman e seus colaboradores partiram de problemas de pesquisa surgidos na literatura de fora da análise do comportamento, como da neurologia e da neurolinguística, mas que as suas pesquisas não impactaram fortemente essas comunidades científicas. Tampouco parece ter havido contribuições especialmente relevantes de membros da comunidade científica para o desenvolvimento do conceito de equivalência de estímulos. Posteriormente, entre 1982 e 1994, o impacto na comunidade científica foi notavelmente aumentado, especialmente entre analistas do comportamento, e pesquisas e discussões de membros da comunidade, para além dos colaboradores diretos de Sidman, parecem ter exercido influência no desenvolvimento do conceito

A liberdade é tema de discussões há muito tempo na humanidade. Enquanto algumas filosofias defendem essa noção de forma estrita, outras questionam sua própria existência. Duas filosofias que discutem a liberdade humana de forma aparentemente antagônica são o anarquismo e o behaviorismo. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo analisar se os conceitos de liberdade apresentado na obra de dois autores representativos dessas filosofias (Bakunin e Skinner, respectivamente) são similares entre si. Seu objetivo básico foi responder à seguinte questão: quais são as compatibilidades e as incompatibilidades entre o anarquismo e o behaviorismo radical, propostos por esses autores, no que diz respeito à concepção de liberdade do ser humano? Como método geral, foram analisadas algumas obras desses autores, com destaque para aquelas em que a discussão do conceito de liberdade se sobressai. A análise foi centrada na abordagem dessas filosofias sobre a ciência, a educação e o Estado. Como resultado, identificou-se como semelhante o fato de que ambos os autores defenderam que a natureza humana não tem qualidades intrinsecamente boas ou más, morais ou imorais. Para Bakunin, é possível conceber uma conjuntura de sociedade/cultura capaz de gerar homens com características defendidas pelos anarquistas como próprias do homem livre tais como solidariedade, cooperação e respeito às diferenças entre os indivíduos. Embora utilizando linguagem diferente, esse homem livre descrito por Bakunin não difere do suposto por Skinner ao analisar que o ambiente (ou as contingências ambientais) é que seleciona os comportamentos do indivíduo. Portanto, para ambos, o indivíduo é formado no seu contato com o ambiente. Apesar de concordantes nesse aspecto, eles se diferenciam pela maior ou menor ênfase nas ferramentas propostas para promover mudanças no comportamento e para planejar culturas que se aproximem da ideal. Skinner fornece essas ferramentas com base nas proposições de uma ciência do comportamento, enquanto Bakunin apenas descreve características das relações interpessoais em uma sociedade que a levaria a produzir homens que ele chamaria de livres, sem deixar clara a forma pela qual se estabeleceria essa cultura. Portanto, conclui-se que, a despeito do antagonismo geralmente sugerido entre ambas as filosofias, a concepção de liberdade presente na obra de Bakunin não é incompatível com a proposta por Skinner. Sugere-se que um diálogo entre as duas filosofias pode ser profícuo, obtendo-se do anarquismo os objetivos para uma sociedade mais igualitária e justa e do behaviorismo, o caminho para atingi-los / Freedom is the subject of long discussions in humanity. While some philosophies argue that notion in a strict way, others question their own existence. Two philosophies that argue the human freedom so seemingly antithetical are the anarchism and behaviorism. This study aimed to analyze the concept of freedom presented in the work of two authors representing those philosophies (Bakunin and Skinner, respectively) are similar. Its basic purpose was to answer the question below: What are the compatibilities and incompatibilities between anarchism and radical behaviorism, proposed by these authors, with regard to the conception of human freedom? As a general method, were analyzed some of the works of these authors, especially those in which the concept of freedom was highlighted. The analysis was centered on the approach that these philosophies have on science, education and the state. As a result, it was identified as similar to the fact that both authors have argued that human nature is not intrinsically good or bad qualities, moral or immoral. For Bakunin, it is possible to conceive of a scenario of society/culture capable of generating men with characteristics defended by anarchists themselves of a free man such as solidarity, cooperation and respect for differences among individuals. Although using different language, this free man, described by Bakunin, does not differ from the assumed by Skinner to examine the environment (or environmental contingencies) that selects the behavior of the individual. Therefore, for both, the individual consists in his contact with the environment. Although consistent in this respect, they differ by a greater or lesser emphasis on the tools proposed to promote changes in behavior and make the planning of cultures that are close to the \"ideal\". Skinner provides these tools based on the propositions of a science of behavior, while Bakunin only describes characteristics of interpersonal relationships in a society that would produce men he would call \"free\" without making clear the way to establish this culture. Therefore, we conclude that, in spite of the generally suggested antagonism between the two philosophies, the concept of freedom present in the work of Bakunin is not incompatible with the one proposed by Skinner. It is suggested that a dialogue between the two philosophies can be fruitful, having regard to the goals of anarchism to a more egalitarian and just society, while from the behaviorism can derive the path to achieve them

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / A presente tese visa contribuir ao debate acerca da criatividade social na teoria sociológica. Considerando algumas questões a respeito da posição reflexiva do sujeito no terreno do imaginário, este trabalho aparece dividido em duas partes: primeiro, temos uma análise dos pressupostos mais elementares do behaviorismo social de George H. Mead sobre a ação; em seguida, desenvolvemos uma discussão a partir da perspectiva adotada por Cornelius Castoriadis em sua crítica aos determinismos da natureza, sociedade, psique, e o pensamento político e filosófico. Os dois autores foram escolhidos porque nos permitem entender o rompimento da causalidade (social) e a questão da determinação nas ciências sociais, bem como o aspecto teológico da ação dentro dos processos históricos. Em Mead, temos a criatividade confinada à interação através do que ele chama conduta inteligente, que é igualmente imprevisível devido ao uso prático da linguagem e as dimensões reflexivas do self. Em Castoriadis, a criatividade aparece inserida dentro do domínio do imaginário radical, onde a psique e isso seria o mesmo que falar a respeito das produções do inconsciente tem um papel fundamental para o entendimento do simbólico dentro das instituições sociais e as possibilidades de autonomia na democracia, tanto em seus aspectos coletivos quanto individuais. Ao final desta dupla exposição, pretende-se mostrar como estas diferentes abordagens podem nos ajudar em termos de pesquisa sobre a criatividade e o imaginário moderno. Neste sentido, não se trata de interpretar a criatividade como uma categoria residual, mas enquanto uma que se manifesta para além da ação individual. Por isso a ação não pode ser analisada do mesmo modo, sob formatos tradicionais, mas deve ser conectada a outras questões. E para fazer isto, tentamos inserir lateralmente outras noções ou abordagens como subjetividade, questões de psicanálise, mecanismos, tendências e o debate sobre a uniformidade da natureza.