Behavior theory: Its potential in educational research and intervention

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the impact of Ribes and López's (1985) “Teoría de la conducta: Un análisis de campo y paramétrico” (TC) in the context of formal education in general, and on higher education in particular. The following influences are recognized: (a) the distinction between science and technology that has allowed psychological advances to be adequately positioned in relation to theoretical and social problems. And positioning educational psychology as an interdiscipline capable of establish pertinent relationships with other disciplines and professionals; (b) proposal with heuristic potential and novelty in the current educational field; (c) encouraging the conceptual analysis and logical placement of terms used in the school setting, such as the term "learning"; (d) generation of a psychological development theory that extends the logic of TC to other non-school settings and other formative processes; (e) the configuration of a professional identity for the educational psychologist in its own right; (f) the delimitation of the psychological dimension of school education; (g) the construction of models aimed at analyzing diverse factors and processes within higher education; (h) impact on curriculum design and, consequently, on professional training. Finally, reflections are offered on the conditions that have hindered a greater impact of TC.