Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta, 1975, Vol. 1, Núm. 1, pp. 31-38.
Psychology, Physics, and Metaphysics
Consonant with the social, political, and economic crises of current days scientists as well as laymen seek security in the transcendent world of metaphysics. Especially is this true of physicists though they are ensconced in what is regarded as the most stable of sciences. This is the case with Bridgman who made operational principles popular, but who resorted finally to a solipsistic form of psychism. He found support for his departure from things and events of nature in the mentalistic psychology of the Middle Ages and more recent times. In this paper it is submitted that an acquaintance with scientific psychology will serve as an antidote to this intolerable state of affairs.
Mexican Journal of Behavior Analysis, 1975, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 249-268.
Psychological Linguistics
Currently, linguistic problems are studied under the influence of three un-satisfactory types of postulation. General linguists following the philological or textual tradition assume that language consists of things, and thus employ a chemical model of structuration moving from elements (phonemes) to molecules (words, morphs) and higher order syntactual compounds. The postulates of the other two classes of language students are more behavioral or psychological in nature.
The first of these adheres closely to the mind-body tradition according to which language behavior consists of the expression of mental states by means of verbal utterances.
The second group rejects mentalism but reduces speech to verbal utterances on the model of physiological reflexes. The writer submits that the scientific investigation of language requires a different approach from all three mentioned.
Accordingly, in this paper is presented the hypothesis of concrete inter-behavioral fields which provides a naturalistic foundation for the psychological substructure, and the superstructure of psychological linguistics.
Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta, 1976, Vol. 2, Núm. 2, pp. 120.136.
The Origin and Evolution of Interbehavioral Psychology
Autobiographical notes of J.R. Kantor with special emphasis on the origin and development of Interbehavioral Psychology.
Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta, 1977, Vol. 3, Núm. 1, pp. 7 a 16.
Evolution and Revolution in the Philosophy of Science
Though there has been a keen interest in the philosophy of science for the last decades, the results of an analysis of the current situation are far from satisfactory. Current philosophy of science is thoroughly polluted with dualistic presuppositions developed by the Church Fathers, and the Scholastics of the Medieval ages. A revolution in the philosophy of science demands an effective control of the established cultural institutions. This can be done by determining their origin and their background in the historico-cultural system and in the current perseveration.
Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta, 1977, Vol. 3, Núm. 2, pp. 139-150.
Adaptation as events and as theory
Adaptation is a perennial feature of the interactions of every variety of objects including individual chemical elements as well as the most elaborate organismic and human beings. However, this process is not adequately recognized or appreciated. But what is even more deplorable is that adaptations are flagrantly misinterpreted. Adaptive behavior is widely transformed into mysterious powers to explain behavior of organisms such as reflexes, instincts, intelligence and other controllers. At the basis of such misinterpretations stand intuitive psychologies and philosophies. These should be replaced by observational views, with the result that an important type of psychological adjustment be fully credited along with improved postulation concerning the entire science of psychology.
Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta, 1978, Vol. 4, Núm. l, págs. 5-15.
Experimentation: The acme of science
Although experimentation in science is universally celebrated as the acme of investigative disciplines, few analyses are made of such process. Consequently, opportunities have been lost for a better understanding of experimentation and science, as well as some potentialities for avoiding errors and achieving improvements of value to research. Suggestions are made for an improved analysis of experimentation.
Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta, 1978, Vol. 4, Núm. 2, págs. 117-132
The principle of specificity in psychology and science in general
In general, scientific work consists of ascertaining the peculiarities of objects and events under specific conditions. This article describes the consequences and advantages of the use of the specificity principle in psychology and in other sciences.
Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta 1979, Vol. 5, Núm. 1, págs. 7-20.2>
The role of cognitive institutions in psychology
and the other sciences
All human groups (societies) whether simple or complex build up and maintain numerous unique institutions that constitute the paraphernalia of their particular culture or civilization. Cultural institutions consist of 1) styles of objects, dwellings, utensils, weapons, tools and instruments, plus their uses; 2) social organizations and laws; 3) practices, conformities, rites and rituals, and; 4) technological processes and products.
In complex cultures, cognitive institutions stand out as the accepted knowledge about the particular group participants, their friendly or antagonistic societies as well as their general surroundings. In the more cultivated societies, the cognitive institutions are concentrated in a departmentalized enclave of sciences.
In the sciences, cognitive institutions serve both to the advantage and disadvantage of specific disciplines. An examination of some detrimental cognitive institutions illuminates the nature of cognitive institutions and the influence they exert on the progress and regress of psychology and the other sciences.
Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta.1979, Vol. 5, Núm. 2, págs. 117-129.
Wundt, Experimental Psychology and Natural Science
The present article is devoted to an analysis of the scientific significance of the establishment by Wundt of the laboratory tradition in psychology. Wundt's achievement is discussed in the light of the scientific situation in 19th Century Germany and from the standpoint of a Naturalistic Science of Psychology. Two types of discipline exist, one is conventional or traditional psychology and the other psychology as a natural science. Wundt did much for conventional psychology by introducing an active observational and manipulative study. However, he did nothing for psychology as a natural science; he was dominated by the psychic traditions of psychology. Nothing but spiritistic presuppositions influenced Wundt to reduce organisms to processes of apperceptions and stimulus objects to sensations.
Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta, 1980, Vol. 6, Núm. 1, págs. 3-16
Perceiving as science and as traditional dogma
Impressive is the enormous productivity in the specialized department of perceiving. Unfortunately, this work is based on dualistic theory instead of on perceiving events. The orientation interbehaviors of organisms with stimulus objects are almost universally interpreted as internal psychic processes called perceptions. The present article is designed to counter the untoward influence of traditional psychology by promoting the observation of actual perceiving, which differs from perception. In support of this design the writer has outlined a brief summary of basic naturalistic psychology to show the operation of perceiving behavior by contrast with conventional mentalistic principles.
Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta, 1980, Vol. 6, Núm. 2, págs. 117-128
Manifesto of interbehavioral psychology
Describes the nature and development of interbehavioral psychology, with particular reference to its origin, postulation, data, operations, laws, and implications.
Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta, 1983: Vol. 7, Núm. 1, págs. 5-11.
Axioms and their role in psychology
It is the theme of this article that the scientifically valuable insight that axioms are assumptions requires elaboration and extension. Axioms as the behavior or behavioral products of scientists, logicians, and mathematicians are points on a behavioral continuum along with reflecting, wishing, guessing, and believing. Accordingly the entire enterprise of science including choice of events studied, hypothesizing, research planning, investigating, postulating, and law formulating are in origin and operation assumptionable.
Axioms it follows, then, are not merely the bases of local systems of knowledge as in geometry but one type of specific assumptional factors in interbehavioral fields. All scientific systems consist of the activities of individuals or groups while observing and describing events of interest to them. All of the factors are subject to evaluation as to their fidelity to observed events, in brief a criterion whether assumptions are naturalistic as derived from events or nonnaturalistic as derived from traditional sources.
In this article the functions and operations of axioms and other assumptional factors are assessed with direct reference to the discipline of psychology. Attention is focused upon the early shift from the axioms derived from observations of psychological behavior to the religio-cultural, artifactual assumptions of soul, mind, and consciousness. It is suggested that today a reconstructed theory of axioms and other assumptions distilled from the observation of actual scientific work will serve to make psychology a veritable science with advantages for general theory and many sorts of practical confrontations with normal and deviant conduct.
Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta, 1981, Vol. 7, Núm. 2, págs. 91-105
Reflections upon speech and language
The continued study of speech and language as among the most highly evolved factors in the experience of Homo Sapiens still reveals disturbing problems of description and understanding. This is no doubt owing to the lack of unity concerning psychological events. The present article suggests several solutions of some of the possible paradoxical aspects of linguistics. It is proposed that a scientific approach to linguistic events requires the premises of an authentic objective psychology.
Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta, 1982, Vol. 8, Núm, 1 págs. 3-10.
Objectivity and subjectivity in science and psychology
Despite the achievements of the sciences in the last three or four centuries, the erroneous view is still current that the sciences lack objectivity and stability. This view is clearly not based upon concrete observation and analysis, but rather upon absolutistic metaphysical beliefs. It is in order then to examine this situation as it applies to psychology and the other sciences. It is suggested that by considering some selected problems of science and psychology, the issue of objectivity versus subjectivity will be considerably illuminated.
The essential message of this article is the need to banish all versions of absolutism and extremism from the domains of existence and knowledge. Absolutism and extremism lead to transcendentalism which has no place in science, including psychology. The present discussion is addressed to the particular version of transcendentalism which holds that objectivity and stability are absent from science, that all is haphazard and omnivalent in contrast to the efforts and achievements of all the various scientific disciplines. The nonobjective pronunciations reflect a religious and metaphysical attitude that is blind to the obvious detailed interbehaviors of scientists with inorganic, organic, and cultural objects and events. As we have indicated in the text, when observation and analysis of the work and results of concrete investigation are reviewed, there is nothing to support any mythical and mysterious subjectivity and internality in science or in scientific psychology.
Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta, 1982, Vol. 8, Núm. 2, págs. 73-85.
Reflections on the nature of human nature
To a great extent, all humanistic studies lead to the absorbing theme of the nature of human nature. But the various views of scholars lack consensus and often validity. The ground for this is assumed to be inadequate foundations in scientific philosophy and psychology. Conventional views about human nature include notions of innateness and trascendence. The present essay is designed as a naturalistic alternative based on the interdisciplinary consideration of biological, ethnological, and psychological principles. It is proposed that a naturalistic approach can provide satisfactory information concerning the evolution and interbehavior of human beings with the things and events in their environments. It is interbehavioral events that constitute the natures of hominids.
Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta, 1983, Vol. 9, Núm. 1, págs. 29-38.
Explanation: Psychological nature, role in scientific investigation
Customarily explanations in scientific situations are envisaged as a process of departing from events investigated to move toward abstractive constructions. The standard and most appealling procedure is to symbolize and mathematized events. Essentially, explanation is regarded as very different from description of events.
By contrast, to grant the necessity of clinging to events, explanation is simply a more analytic reference to things and events than ordinary description, but still explanation is esentially description. While maintaining contact with events, explanation consists of relating things and events in a more elaborate way than superficial examination.
Because of the prominent place of linguistics and symbolic factors in description and explanation, the role of such features are briefly examined as they contribute to the total process in science and common affairs.