Inside Behavior Analysis
Volume 3 | 2011 | Number 2 | Online ISSN: 2151-4704
Sociedad Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta
By Carlos Santoyo, Raul Avila, and Gustavo Bacha
The aim of this report is to explain the main goals and activities of the Sociedad Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta (Mexican Society of Behavior Analysis; MSBA) for 2011 and to summarize activities in 2010.
The dissemination of behavior analysis in Mexico and other countries is one of the key objectives of MSBA. Some of the main activities for reaching this goal include the publication of the Mexican Journal for Behavior Analysis (MJBA), hosting annual conventions (with tracks focused on basic, translational, and applied research), and providing behavior analysis workshops.
The 20th MSBA Convention was held at Oaxtepec, Morelos, in August 2010. Also this year, MSBA celebrated its 35th anniversary of working for the dissemination of behavior analysis in Mexico and other countries with a special convention. During this convention, a permanent poster session was established as a tribute to MSBA members who made significant contributions to behavior analysis and experimental psychology in Mexico and who have passed away. Nearly 200 papers and posters were presented during this event.
In 2010, the Colloquium for Undergraduate Students Who Participate in Behavioral Research was conducted at Mexico City (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico); 52 papers representing dissertation research advances and participation in experimental psychology laboratories were presented. In these papers, learning experiences from behavioral research and application were discussed. Student participation was supported by their research advisors.
This year, the Second Colloquium of Undergraduate Students Who Participate in Behavioral Research was held in April 2011. Most of the 48 papers were collaborative works on different topics like self-control, temporal discounting, memory and learning, social behavior, temporal assessment, behavioral sequences, and so on. The principal goal of this program was to disseminate information about behavior analysis and scientific psychology among potential psychologists throughout the country and to encourage them to enroll in postgraduate programs focused on behavior analysis. In doing this, MSBA has promoted undergraduate student participation in diverse research tasks and the growth of behavior analysis in Mexico.
MJBA is a member of the Mega Project of Scientific Journals in the Catalogue of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, hosted at www.journals.unam.mx, and received financial support from the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT/Mexico).
Finally the XXI Convention of MSBA was held at Acapulco, Guerrero, on August 29–September 2, 2011. The Call for Presentations program is now open and can be found at MSBA's website, www.smac.org.mx.