Masoquismo: uma análise masoquismo behaviorista radical

Abstract

Objective: This paper aimed to investigate explanations to masochist behaviors for which behavior analysis could offer and verify by which means authors from other fields of knowledge could contribute on basing these explanations. Method: Initially, the subject was searched within behavior analysis, but the scarcity of productions made a search for texts in other fields necessary. Psychoanalysis was the first option. However, two practicians from this field recommended referring to the book “Sacher-Masoch: o frio e o cruel” (English: Masochism: Coldness and Cruelty) by Gilles Deleuze, philosopher that contributed considerably to psychoanalysis. The work presented verbal and non-verbal masochist behaviors of the author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, which inspired the “pathology’s” name. Parts of the text that showed descriptions of masochist behaviors and the contingencies which might have been involved were identified. Results: Theoretically plausible hypotheses were formulated to explain the masochist behaviors found in the book based on concepts and experiments from behavior analysis. Four classes of stimuli were identified and divided into topics where explanations of how masochist behaviors were maintained were elaborated. Conclusion: Masochism was pointed as result of some, mostly aversive, contingencies present in Sacher-Masoch’s life history, including relations to his culture. Ways to prevent and treat the problem and replace masochist operants for behaviors less harmful to the individual. Finally, ways in which an author from a different field of knowledge was useful in this paper were indicated