Abstract
Several prior publications have described the development of the field of behavior analysis in Latin American countries, such as Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. Despite there being a similarly strong tradition of behavior analytic training and research in Venezuela, little has been written and disseminated about this history in international outlets. The purpose of this article was to document the history of behavior analysis in Venezuela using historiographic methods and interviewing members of the behavior analytic community in Venezuela. By analyzing and synthesizing these various sources, we describe the historical and cultural context in which behavior analytic laboratories and training programs were established, the influence of international scholars, the work of Venezuelan professors and students highlighting important women, the height of scholarly productivity, and the current state of the field. In this article, we explore the impact of environmental variables, such as the sociopolitical context and funding availability on the behavior analytic training and research in Venezuela.
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Notes
We were fortunate to have excellent role models. These women taught us about behavioral science and showed us what was possible. Our gratitude for carving this path is infinite.
Although the translation to English for “Licenciatura” is “degree,” we use the term in Spanish to distinguish it from a 4-year program, typical in the United States, that corresponds to a bachelor’s degree.
The history of women coalitions in Venezuela is longer than what is included in this article. It resulted in a series of commissions, ministerial offices, ministries, and institutes composed by women and dedicated to women issues further described by Rakowski (2003).
At UCV Dembo founded the School of Psychology, coordinated the master programs in psychology, directed the del Psychology Institute, and coordinated the doctoral program in psychology (Santoro et al., 2017).
The term “jai” is a colloquialism to refer to the word “hay.”
The words “’echao” and “pa’lante” are also colloquialisms and contractions. The former is used to refer to the word “echado,” which in this sentence means “moved,” while the former means “forward.”
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We acknowledge the contributions and support of Cristina Vargas-Irwin in the preparation of this article.
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This article was conceptualized, researched, and written by Mirari Elcoro, Amalix Flores, and Corina Jimenez-Gomez, who all contributed equally to the final version of this article and share the role of primary and corresponding authors. This article would not be possible without the contribution of all co-authors. Authors are Venezuelan behavioral scientists at different career stages and are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
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Elcoro, M., Flores, A., Jimenez-Gomez, C. et al. Behavior Analysis in Venezuela: An Unrecognized Legacy. Behav Analysis Practice (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-024-00919-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-024-00919-z