A noção de motivação na análise do comportamento

Abstract

References to the topic of motivation or motivating variables are seen since the first texts from authors identified with the field of behavior analysis. The interest in these variables emerged for its relevance in the explanation of a certain type of variability in behavior that could be differentiated from the variability produced by other environmental variables. Nevertheless, the treatment presented to the motivational variables in behavior analysis is often controversial and is not done in a homogeneous way by the different authors that focused on the topic or even throughout the work of one same author. The present study aims to conduct a systematic recovery of the notion offered to the phenomenon traditionally described as motivation in behavior analysis. More specifically, how this notion has been constructed and presented in the work of the two authors in the field that more closely addressed the theme: Skinner and Michael. For that purpose, four closely related, but independent, papers will be presented, with the following objectives: paper 1: the construction of the drive concept in Skinner's work between 1930 and 1938; paper 2: a comparison of the different notions of motivation presented by Skinner throughout his work; paper 3: Michael s delimitation of the field of motivation in behavior analysis and the terminological development by which its proposal has been submitted; paper 4: a comparison between the treatments of Skinner and Michael for motivating variables