The functional contextualism of Steven C. There is

Functional contextualism is a scientific philosophy proposed by Steven Hayes and that it has developed fundamentally in the field of psychology, particularly in its behavioral aspect. In turn, it is closely related to the theory of relational frames and acceptance and commitment therapy, both of Hayes's work.

To understand the approaches of functional contextualism, it is important to become familiar with its most direct antecedents: the pragmatist and contextualist philosophical traditions and radical behaviorism from Burrhus F. Skinner, one of the key figures in the history of behavioral orientation and scientific psychology in general.

• Related article: "B. F. Skinner: life and work of a radical behaviorist"

Pragmatism, contextualism and radical behaviorism

Pragmatism is a philosophical tradition that dates back to the late nineteenth century and proposes that the best way to analyze and Understanding most facts consists of focusing on their functions, that is, on their effects, consequences, or consequences. results. Some of the classical theorists in this tradition are Charles Sanders Peirce, William James, and John Dewey.

For its part, the term "contextualism" was first used by Steven C. Pepper in 1942 to refer to the proposals of pragmatic philosophers. However, this author emphasized to a greater extent the relevance of analyzing the acts in relation to the context in which they take place.

Pepper also stated that people have "hypotheses about the world" consisting of a series of interrelated approaches shared by other members of our cultural group. These perspectives determine different ways of understanding reality and defining the truth, which for Pepper is everything that entails effective action.

Finally, it is worth talking about Skinner's radical behaviorism, a philosophy very close to his proposals around the operant conditioning. Without denying the key influence of biology, radical behaviorism focuses on the role of context in observable behavior and works with the mental contents in a way equivalent to the rest of the behavior.

• Related article: "Behaviorism: history, concepts and main authors"

Hayes' functional contextualism

Steven C. Hayes is one of the most important psychologists today. Functional contextualism is the scientific philosophy that underpins its two main contributions to the social sciences: relational frames theory and acceptance and commitment therapy.

In a very summarized way, Hayes and the rest of functional contextualists defend the relevance of focusing on the precise and deep manipulation of variables that can be modified when predicting or changing the behaviors and mental contents of a person in a context determined.

Unlike the descriptive variant of contextualism, associated with constructionism, narrativism or hermeneutics, functional contextualism aims to formulate general laws through the empirical or inductive method, that is, studying observable phenomena to define rules and check to what degree they can be extrapolated to other facts.

In recent years, the application of functional contextualism has become popular as a philosophical basis for applied behavioral analysis. This psychological discipline, which is based on research on operant conditioning, studies the relationships between behavior and environmental variables that may be relevant in this.

In this way, functional contextualism seeks to understand the laws (of a verbal nature) that govern the behavior through the use of inductive methods in order to modify behaviors little adaptive. For this contingency handling is mostly used, that is, of the relationships between a behavior and the appearance of reinforcers.

Other contributions from Hayes

Hayes explains the development of language, and consequently cognition, through his relational frame theory. According to this author, people acquire these functions by forming mental links between two or more aspects reality, which happens from the beginning of life and results in an increasing accumulation of relations.

These relational frameworks do not depend solely on learning by associationThey also include information about the characteristics of the relationship. Thus, as children we establish links between objects such as plates, forks and spoons because we interact with them simultaneously but also because they fulfill similar functions.

The mental associations that we make become progressively more complex and explain the internalization of behavioral norms, the formation of the sense of identity and many others verbal phenomena. Rigidity or impracticality of relational frameworks are very frequent causes of psychopathology, for example in cases of depression and anxiety.

Hayes developed acceptance and commitment therapy as an intervention for these types of emotional disorders. This third generation therapy is based on the confrontation with and the naturalization of negative emotions and on promote value-oriented activity regardless of life difficulties, such as discomfort itself psychological.

Bibliographic references:

• Hayes, S. C. (1993). Analytic goals and the varieties of scientific contextualism. In S. C. Hayes, L. J. Hayes, H. W. Reese & T. R. Sarbin (Eds.), Varieties of scientific contextualism (pp. 11–27). Reno, Nevada: Context Press.

• Hayes, S.C.; Strosahl, K. & Wilson, K.G. (1999). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An experiential approach to behavior change. New York: Guilford Press.

• Hayes, S.C.; Barnes-Holmes, D. & Roche, B. (Eds.). (2001). Relational Frame Theory: A Post-Skinnerian account of human language and cognition. New York: Plenum Press.