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| Role of Language in the Analysis of Culture and Beyond |
| Sunday, May 25, 2025 |
| 10:00 AM–10:50 AM |
| Convention Center, Street Level, 154 AB |
| Area: PCH/VBC; Domain: Theory |
| Chair: Ramona Houmanfar (University of Nevada, Reno) |
| Discussant: Julio C. De Rose (Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos) |
| CE Instructor: Ramona Houmanfar, Ph.D. |
| Abstract: Culture is a multifaceted concept that has been the subject of scientific explorations in various fields, including anthropology, biology, psychology, and philosophy, over the centuries. More recently, scientific literature in Cultural Behavior Analysis has provided conceptual and research contributions to the understanding of language in relation to developed concepts in this area of study within behavior analysis. This symposium aims to discuss how behavior analytic explanations of language may impact the expansion of scientific understanding of complex cultural phenomena. By drawing upon the relevant literature, presenters will offer conceptual discussions on how advancements in this area may enhance interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration between behavior analysis and other scientific disciplines. Thus, it will be emphasized that language is a particularly important factor to consider in our discussion of culture and associated concepts, and this focus may facilitate collaborative efforts pertaining to the analysis of culture and related concepts across various fields. |
| Instruction Level: Intermediate |
| Target Audience: Behavior analysts with basic knowledge in Cultural Behavior Analysis and RFT |
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe concepts in behavior analytic accounts of culture and language that offer potential points of entry to alter contextual factors and change cultural practices
2. The participants will be aware of the foundation of how culture is worked on Anthropology and Biology
3. Describe the foundation of rule-governed behavior and how use this concept to work with culture |
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| The Behavioral Analytic Account of Verbal Repertories and Symbolic Behavior in Cultural Behavior Analysis |
| MIGUEL ABDALA MACIEL (University of Nevada, Reno), Ramona Houmanfar (University of Nevada, Reno) |
| Abstract: Culture has been the subject of studies across different scientific fields for centuries, drawing attention from many fields. In Behavior Analysis, culture is commonly defined as 1) set of social contingencies, 2) set of cultural practices and 3) environment that interact with cultural practices. In anthropology, the closest to a consensus on the definition of culture might include: 1) the symbolic aspect present in human behavior, 2) related issues about meaning, 3) the necessity of cultural learning, 4) culture as a unit, 5) behavior as a component of culture; and 6) culture as a symbolic system. In Biology, 3 definitions of culture are common in recent research: 1) information or behavior acquired through social learning, 2) one or more socially learned behaviors shared by the members of a group, 3) socially learned behaviors that are shared by members of a group and improved over successive episodes of social learning. The distinction regarding what constitutes culture between social sciences and biology involves the variety of definitions of culture. This presentation provides a review of how culture is defined in Behavior Analysis and ways this concept is discussed in Anthropology and Biology. We highlight the main points of these definitions to provide an understanding of the concept of culture across different domains. This discussion also accounts for the symbolic behaviors of verbally sophisticated communities interacting with the cultural objects as well as the verbal contexts within which members of cultural groups operate. |
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Experimental Analysis of Rule-Governed Behavior and Culturo-Behavioral Science: Where is the Link? |
| JESÚS ALONSO-VEGA (Universidad Europea de Madrid), Amalie Hylland (Universidad Europea de Madrid) |
| Abstract: Despite the concern about this topic on traditional works on Behavior Analysis, rule-governed behavior is a cornerstone of cultural contexts, and its experimental analysis is key to understanding this complex behavioral phenomenon. This type of behavior allows individuals to bypass the control of immediate contingencies in favor of delayed ones, and/or facilitates the establishment of contextual control over specific behaviors. It can be observed in various social contexts such as education, healthcare, and law, as well as in applied settings like organizational, sports, and environmental domains. This oral presentation has two main objectives: first, to discuss the relevance of the experimental analysis of rule-governed behavior for culturo-behavioral science; and second, to introduce an experimental paradigm designed to aid in the analysis of variables that may influence this behavior. Thus, it is stressed that the experimental analysis of rule-governed behavior is crucial for advancing culturo-behavioral science, as it helps explain how individuals relate with complex social environments. |
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