Social Skills and Behavior Analysis: Historical Proximity and New Issues* Habilidades Sociais E Análise Do Comportamento: Proximidade Histórica E Atualidades

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Social skills and behavior analysis: Historical proximity and new issues* Habilidades sociais e análise do comportamento: Proximidade histórica e atualidades

1 1 Zilda A. P. Del Prette e Almir Del Prette

[1] Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Brasil | Título abreviado: Habilidades sociais e análise do comportamento | Correspondence should be directed to: Alameda das Ameixeiras, 60. CEP 13561-358. São Carlos, SP | E-mail: [email protected] | Note: The authors thank Prof. Denis Zamignani, Ph.D., for reading the first version of the manuscript and for his suggestions. This paper is linked to the authors’ activities as CNPq Research Productivity Scholars.

Abstract: This paper focuses on issues that have been relatively neglected or scarcely emphasized in available literature regarding the interface between the areas of Social Skills and Behavior Analysis: (a) the contribution of the functional perspective of behavior analysis in the definition of social skills and in social competence criteria; (b) the understanding of social skills and social competence as resulting from the ontogenetic, phylogenetic and cultural selection of social behavioral patterns; and (c) the implications and potential contribution of social skills programs in the planning of cultural practices committed to survival and to quality of life in the complex contemporary society. Keywords: social skills, social competence, behavior analysis, cultural practices, ethics.

Resumo: Este ensaio focaliza questões que têm sido relativamente negligenciadas ou pouco enfatizadas na literatura disponível sobre a interface entre habilidades sociais e análise do comportamento: (a) a contribuição da perspectiva funcional da análise do comportamento na definição de habilidades sociais e nos critérios de competência social; (b) a compreensão das habilidades sociais e da competência social enquanto produtos da seleção ontogenética, filogenética e cultural de padrões de comportamento social; e (c) as implicações e a contri- buição potencial dos programas de habilidades sociais no planejamento de práticas culturais comprometidas com a sobrevivência e com a qualidade de vida na complexa sociedade con- temporânea. Palavras-chave: habilidades sociais, competência social, análise do comportamento, práticas culturais, ética.

* This paper is an English version (published in 2012) of a paper originally published in Portuguese in 2010. The authors would like to thank Ana Carolina Braz for for the final review of the English version for this essay.

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The contribution of different approaches to the carefully examining the conceptual background constitution of the theoretical and practical field of social skills and the assumptions underlying of social skills (SS) brought about its multifaceted social skills programs. Among publications deal- characteristic, in which cognitive and behavioral ap- ing with theoretical issues, some focused on a proaches prevail. For some scholars (McFall, 1982; cognitive or social cognitive perspective (Caballo, Hargie, Saunders & Dickson, 1994; Trower, 1995), Irurtia & Salazar, 2009; RíosPérez, 2000; Oláz, 2009; this field lacks for an integrative theory that not only Saldanha, Del Prette & Del Prette, 2002), and others reviews the various different explanatory constructs, on a behavioral approach to social skills (Bolsoni- but, above all, integrates them in a systematic man- Silva, 2001; Del Prette & Del Prette, 2009; Gresham, ner, in order to better coordinate the phenomena 2009;) with some focusing specifically the asser- that are reported, such as social skills, social inter- tiveness (Marchezini-Cunha, 2004) and empathy action and interpersonal communication. Until this (Garcia-Serpa, Meyer & Del Prette, 2006, Vettorazzi occurs, one has to analyze, define and delineate the et al., 2005), from a BA perspective different approaches to this field of study and ap- The studies mentioned here do not exhaust the plication of psychological knowledge. possibilities of analysis, but expose the complexity The relations between the behavioral analytic of the SST field, in which one can identify at least approach (BA) and the social skills training field three dilemmas. The first refers to the supposition (SST) shape a historical interface, related to the that social skills are adaptive social behaviors, as production and application of knowledge concern- opposed to the notion that, in addition, in most ing social behavior. By understanding that one can cases, social skills should also be considered as re- not be reduced to the other, it is important to con- sources to alter social environments. In this sense, sider, on the one hand, that BA is a philosophical, it is important to highlight, for example, the role as- scientific and applied approach that goes beyond sertiveness and group conduction skills play in the the realm of social behavior; and, on the other leadership of social movements (Del Prette & Del hand, that SST is focused on a specific behavior, Prette, 2003). The second dilemma counters the use the social one, but is constituted by different theo- of the term social skills, as a phenomenon - like, for retical approaches, in addition to the operant for- example, domestic violence –, to the concept of so- mulations. The knowledge and resources produced cial skills as an analytic category that guides both through both fields are of interest to psychological research and practice in the particular field of SST. practice in different contexts (such as therapy, edu- The third dilemma is between SST as a method or cation, health, labor). According to O’Donohue and intervention technique, adaptable to the theoretical Krasner (1995), “the social skills approach is one of perspective of the professional, in opposition to an the major developments in the history of the behav- eclectic vision that allows one to gather procedures ioral model”(p. 4), significantly contributing to the derived from different theoretical frameworks. development of behavioral therapy, and regarded Not intending to convey any form of referral or as an adjunct to and even an effective alternative to justification in favor of one or another alternative psychotherapy. By reporting Phillips (1985), these described for the previously mentioned dilemmas, authors value the SST movement, since it situates this essay focuses on issues that have been relative- change and development in a social matrix, highly neglected or have scarcely been emphasized in lighting the interactive nature of exchanges be- available studies on the interface between SST and tween the individual and the environment, as with BA such as: (a) the contribution of the functional all behavioral research and conceptualization. and contextualist perspective of BA to the defini- Generally, publications that deal with social tion of social skills and social competence criteria; skills from the BA perspective are restricted to (b) the understanding of social skills and social the description and evaluation of intervention competence in the ontogenetic, phylogenetic and programs, highlighting their learning principles cultural selection processes of social behavior pat- and operant techniques (Maag, 2006; McIntyre, terns; and (c) the resulting implications of (a) and Gresham, DiGennaro & Reed, 2007), but without (b) in considering the potential contribution of SST

Revista Perspectivas 2010 vol. 01 n ° 02 pp. 004-015 5 www.revistaperspectivas.com.br Social skills and behavior analysis: Historical proximity and new issues programs in devising cultural practices committed concept of behavior, it is a construct, inferred from to survival and quality of life in the complex con- the functional relations between the responses of temporary society. two or more people in interaction, where the responses of one may be antecedent or consequent A functional, contextualist definition of to the other’s, in a dynamic and alternated fashion social skills and social competence through the interactive process. A social behavior Argyle (1967/1994), one of the pioneers in the is only classified as a social skill when it contributes investigation of social skills, originally concep- in some way to the social competence in a social tualized social skills analogously with the motor interaction task (Del Prette & Del Prette 2001a), skills involved in the man-machine interaction, which led Trower (1995) to consider social skills as nevertheless acknowledging their differences. “the building blocks of social competence” (p. 57). Concerning the relationship between people, the In other words, it means that the availability of a so- term interaction became complemented by social, cial skills repertoire is a necessary but not sufficient in that it stands apart from any other exchange pro- condition for social competence, and that both cess between the individual and the environment. terms cannot be taken as synonyms, though each A second difference was related to behavioral vari- of their definitions inevitably refers to the other’s ability, which would be greater in the interaction definition. between people, as compared to any motor perfor- Social competence is an evaluative attribute mance, like driving a vehicle, walking, running or of a behavior or a series of successful behaviors drawing and so on. In order to explain the process - as determined by the criteria of functionality - of interaction between people, Argyle (1967/1994) in a social interaction (Elliott & Gresham 2008; resorted to BA notions and concepts, like the prin- Gresham, 2009). Considering the specificity and ciples of reinforcement and punishment for exam- conditions of the current interactive task (McFall, ple, and to others that were based on a cognitivistic 1982), as well as the contingencies present in the approach, such as social perception, social role, af- social environment where the social interaction filiation and categorization. takes place, three criteria have been emphasized Many different authors presented, after and at for the evaluation of social competence (Del Prette times concurrently to Argyle’s formulations, differ- & Del Prette, 2001a): (a) goal achievement, in ent definitions regarding social skills, and this has terms of specific consequences of the “social task”, been a controversial issue. Some authors (e.g. Cox including positive reinforcement (for example, & Schopler, 1991/1995) have placed in the realm request a favor and obtain it) and negative rein- of social skills almost everything that occurs dur- forcement, in the sense of removing or avoiding ing the interaction between two or more people. aversive stimulation (such as, expressing dissat- Other analyses have drawn attention to certain isfaction with the other’s behavior, and by doing peculiarities, such as the large number of defini- so, interrupting him or her behavior); (b) social tions (Caballo, 2003; Merrell & Gimpel, 1998) and approval of the verbal community (generally re- the absence of features and terms common to such lated to topography and occasion of the perfor- definitions (Caballo, 2003; Hargie, Saunders & mance); (c) maintenance or improvement in the Dickson, 1994; Merrel & Gimpel, 1998), as well as quality of the relationship (e.g. mutual respect and the differences in their emphasis in the function or enjoyment of companionship). Del Prette and Del topography of social response (Kelly, 1982; Linehan, Prette (1996, 2001a, 2005) included additional cri- 1984). All of these matters reflect, on the one hand, teria in the characterization of social competence, the complexity of the social skills phenomenon in as the “behavior which produces the best effect in itself and, on the other, the diversity of the theoreti- terms of balancing reinforcers and ensuring basic cal approaches in this field, many times focusing on human rights” (Del Prette, 1982, p. 9), thus em- different aspects of this overall complexity. phasizing the importance of maximizing positive While considering the general class of social exchanges between the interlocutors and medium skills, it is important to acknowledge that, as the and long term results of social competence.

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Taken together, the criteria for social compe- tained by a social task and that, therefore, the evalu- tence articulate two dimensions of its functional- ation of competence is not simply “black and white” ity – instrumental and ethical/moral – which, in descriptive, since the competence may be greater turn, are related, respectively, to the immediate or smaller, depending on the quantity and diversity and delayed consequences of the social interac- of the obtained consequence criteria. It is widely tion episode, as well as to the consequences for the acknowledged that the immediate consequences individual and for his/her interlocutor or social of assertiveness may not be positive (like when group. In the instrumental dimension, only that someone refuses a request and does not receive the performance that produces immediate reinforc- interlocutor’s approval) but, in the long run, asser- ing consequences for the individual is considered tive people are perceived as being authentic, honest, socially competent; these consequences are related direct and able to establish healthy and solid rela- to goal achievement in the social interaction task tionships, especially when assertiveness is accom- and to social appraisal, generally linked to posi- panied by empathy (Falcone, 2001). Such criteria tive emotional correlates (e.g. satisfaction with may also operate under concurrent schedules, lead- the results and feelings of self-worth), which also ing to a choice of a less competent performance, contribute to the acquisition and maintenance of a which is not caused by a deficient assertive skills socially competent performance. The ethical/moral repertoire, but by a more enhanced evaluation of dimension is associated to the choice or delibera- the consequences that are likely to occur in the long tion among the immediate, medium and long-term run. This is the case, of the employee who exempts consequences (Dittrich, 2010), which should also a boss’ rudeness, therefore avoiding the immediate be considered in terms of consequences that affect aversive consequences (e.g. making the relationship oneself or others, thus implying ethical self-man- even worse); or when a person who, by discriminat- agement (Skinner, 1968/1972) of the social behav- ing the fragile condition of the other and choosing ior. The medium and long-term consequences in- not to make the other person feel even more un- clude maintenance or improvement in the quality easy, does not present an assertive response (such of the relationship as well as guaranteeing a bal- as disagreeing and refusing something). ance between the positive reinforcement exchanges Besides the emotional correlates and the me- (positive reciprocity), bringing about what can be dium and long-term consequences included in the referred to as “win-win” relationships, which are evaluation criteria, the attribution of social compe- based on respect for interpersonal human rights tence also requires correspondence between overt (Del Prette & Del Prette, 2001a; 2005). These crite- and covert behaviors (e.g., saying what one thinks ria simultaneously contemplate individual and col- and feels), for example, “sincerely” complimenting lective interests in social interactions, taking into or “honestly” expressing displeasure with the oth- account the other’s needs and the interdependence er’s behavior. According to Skinner (1953/1974) of interpersonal relations, as factors of a healthy it is desirable to place verbal behaviors under un- and effective relationship in the long run. In short, der the appropriate control of inner and external by being underlying to the criteria of social compe- stimulation. This means that an individual’s ob- tence, social skills constitute a general class of be- servable behaviors should be in accordance with haviors that are very likely to produce reinforcing what he/she says to himself/herself, with his/her consequences, for the individual and for the other personal rules of conduct and also with the rules people in the social group. Taking the referred present in the group in which this individual is in- criteria into account, coercive and aggressive be- serted. Taking into account that both audible and haviors would not figure among behaviors that are subvocal speech (“thinking” and other cognitive considered socially competent, even when these processes) are maintained and molded by their ef- were to produce immediate positive consequences fect on the verbal community, however, the corre- for the individual. spondence between saying and doing is not always One should consider that not all social com- obtained (Catania, 1999, p. 280-281; Glenn, 1983) petence criteria are equally and simultaneously at- and, in the case of social interaction, it entails im-

Revista Perspectivas 2010 vol. 01 n ° 02 pp. 004-015 7 www.revistaperspectivas.com.br Social skills and behavior analysis: Historical proximity and new issues plications both for the person and the person’s re- vocal musculature, that permitted the acquisition lationships with others. of vocal behavior as well as its evolution to increas- Generally, the correspondence between saying ingly complex levels, which were fundamental for and doing occurs most easily when the individual’s the evolution of social behavior and many differ- personal rules are the same as those of the verbal ent cultural practices; (b) the flexibility of the fa- community. However, sometimes, the verbal com- cial muscles, refining the facial expressiveness and munity delivers positive consequences to the overt thereby the need to discriminate the stimuli origi- behaviors, which do not correspond to the covert nated from the expressiveness of the other in the ones or to the factual occurrences,such as lying or social interaction; (c) the human tendency to so- fantasizing. When social norms are altered and be- ciability establishing conditions for social learn- come more flexible, concealed behaviors that are no ing processes; (d) the sensibility to consequences longer adaptive (under the control of self-imposed delivered by others, expanding the possibilities for rules that deviate from those of the verbal commu- learning in the social relationships and, hence, to nity) may lead to problems for the individual in his/ have our behaviors socially selected; (e) the capac- her relationships with others. ity to produce “free operant behaviors”, which cre- A complaint about a person, concerning dis- ate the variability needed for selection based on crepancy between his/her public and private be- consequences, especially for social behaviors. haviors, is of great importance for psychological Evolutionary biology (Del Prette & Del Prette, treatments (see, for example, Beckert, 2002) and is 2002) informs that certain standards of social be- also an object of study in the field of social skills. haviors have been perfected throughout the course Along an experiential SST program (as proposed of the species’ phylogenetic evolution. Trower by Del Prette & Del Prette, 2001a, 2005), it is pos- (1995) relates the occurrence of atavic behavioral sible to establish conditions for the occurrence and standards to various different psychological disor- strengthening of correspondence between what he/ ders, and they may really suggest adaptive difficul- she says to oneself and what he/she says or does ties. For instance, the change from the impulsive (Del Prette & Del Prette, 2001a, 2005). standards for attacking or running away to the standards of negotiating, which require control Phylogenetic selection and social skills over such impulsiveness: systematic standards of One of the basic principles of radical behaviorism avoidance/escape and aggressiveness, which in is the understanding that behavior is the prod- many situations are not adaptive anymore, become uct of three processes of variation and selection: considered extemporaneous, therefore being in- phylogenetic, ontogenetic and cultural (Skinner, cluded in the list of the so-called symptoms of psy- 1981/2007). The importance of variability for the chological disorders. The evolutionary changes in learning process and, hence, for the selection of the standards of social behaviors, however, cannot adaptive behavior, also applies to social skills, since be examined independently from the economic certain standards of interpersonal relationships and cultural conditions related to the survival of have a critical role in the maintenaince and transi- the human species. Such contingencies (focus of tion of social practices. the next session) are decisive to the maintenance Phylogenetic selection provided human beings or change in the standards of effective or ineffec- with a set of anatomic, physiological and behav- tive social behaviors throughout the history of the ioral characteristics that favor the acquisition and human species1. improvement of social behaviors that were important for the survival of the species (Del Prette & Del Prette, 2001b). Many of the selected phylogenetic 1 Tourinho (2009) presents an enlightening analysis of the capabilities were also indispensable to the evolu- social, economic and cultural contingencies that determine changes in the collectivistic standards of interpersonal relation of social skills. Based on the analysis of Glenn tions, from that characteristic of the feudal economy of the (2004), the following capabilities regarding social Middle Ages, to the individualist standards of contemporary skills can be highlighted: (a) the improvement of societies.

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Ontogenetic selection and social skills following procedures (instruction) and imitation The ontogenetic selection is definitively the most in consequence of observation (Del Prette & Del visible process in the development of social skills Prette, 2001a, 2005; Gresham, 2009). and expresses a premise that has been widely con- Experiential SST programs2 (A. Del Prette & firmed by the empirical research: social skills are Del Prette, 2001a; 2004; s.d.; Z. Del Prette & Del learned and altered across the lifetime due to the Prette, 2005), which can be used in the clinical set- variability and selection processes produced by the ting and in the context of education, community environmental contingencies. On the other hand, and work, emphasize the promotion of social skills depending on the contingencies a person is ex- repertoire variability and the individual’s sensibil- posed to, he/she may develop either an elaborate ity to environment contingencies in the ontogenetic repertoire of behaviors, which are effective in the selection of functional behaviors required to deal production of reinforcers, or a deficient repertoire, with the interactive demands and contexts of one’s that is, a repertoire that fails in its frequency, flu- life. Even though the denomination of these pro- ency or proficiency. grams traditionally includes the term training, usu- The ontogenetic selection of social skills may ally understood as the standardization or automa- occur through the natural contingencies of the tion of performances, the term does not adequately environment the individual is inserted in, as well describe the goals and philosophy of experiential as through contingencies that are structured upon SST programs. They aim for both self-knowledge therapeutic or educational programs. In the clini- and self-monitoring as the bases of any social com- cal setting of behavioral therapy, Zamignani and petent performance. Self-knowledge is understood Jonas (2007) emphasize variability as being an ob- as the capacity the individual has to describe and jective as well as an important condition for the discriminate his/her own performance and its asso- learning of more adaptive behaviors. In an edu- ciated contingencies and self-monitoring as the dy- cational setting, this variability can be promoted namic process of evaluating and changing own be- in SST programs and curricula specifically aimed havior when in interaction with others (Del Prette at social skills and at the reduction of competing & Del Prette, 2001a). These processes broaden the behaviors (Del Prette & Del Prette, 2005). In both range of response choices and require ethical self- cases, the promotion of variability as an objective management of own behavior. and the exposure to contingencies as a procedure or strategy are decisive for social skills learning Cultural Selection: The contribution of and improving of social skills. On the other hand, social skills to new cultural practices complex environments, which produce highly dif- All human acquisitions are also associated to the ferent consequences for very similar behaviors, can immersion in an environment that is essentially so- strengthen this variability. cial and favored the emergence of culture as well as When the individual’s learning conditions, cultural practices. The effectiveness or ineffective- along his/her previous history of interaction with ness of certain social relationships practices may the environment, do not guarantee a sufficient rep- determine whether or not they will be adopted by ertoire of social skills, both clinical intervention the members of the group and, therefore, selected and structured educational programs are useful by that group. These conceptions can also be spe- alternatives, in many cases complementarily. Such cifically applied to social skills. programs aim to overcome behavioral deficits (as- A preliminary issue, which is pertinent in the sociated or not to psychological disorders or prob- analysis of the cultural nature of social skills, is the lems), to improve the available social skills and to relation between the functionality and topography promote the acquisition and generalization of new skills. In the natural environment or in structured 2 In Del Prette and Del Prette (2010), the main characteris- contexts, the acquisition and improvement of social tics of experiential SST programs are detailed; they allow one skills occurs through different learning processes, to question the adequacy of the term training in the sense that such as: shaping by differential reinforcement, rule- is hereby referred to.

Revista Perspectivas 2010 vol. 01 n ° 02 pp. 004-015 9 www.revistaperspectivas.com.br Social skills and behavior analysis: Historical proximity and new issues of certain social behavior standards. In the operant interpersonal relationship standards, the cultural perspective, functionality is the basic criterion to practices that characterize the educational process define a behavior as a class of responses. However, (formal or informal) and the relationship within a in the SST field, the structure is also considered, family (parents, sons and daughters, married cou- since the attainment of social competence criteria ples) also involve social behaviors of individuals in may depend on the small variations in the topog- social interactions and are characterized by com- raphy of a certain response without necessarily im- plex networks of interdependence3, making it self- plying insert it in another class. The act of greeting, evident that social skills are of great importance in also known as greeting ritual, is one illustration. such settings. Such practices differ in the extent to This kind of universal behavior gains importance which they assist their members in solving prob- in a friendly approach and recognition amongst lems and obtaining consequences that favor the people of the same verbal community or from oth- survival of the group; if they are found effective, ers. People who are strange to a community need they tend to be disseminated to other members of to master the topographic characteristics of the the same culture and to their descendants (Skinner, social behaviors from that culture, as a sort of rite 1990). However, anachronic or even inhuman prac- of passage, in order to be successful in their inter- tices may remain for a long time when they gen- actions; otherwise, they may find it difficult to es- erate positive consequences to the groups that are tablish effective social bonds. Topographical varia- in power, characterizing the “ceremonial” cultural tions in responses from a same class, presented by processes, as opposed to the “technological” cul- different subgroups of the same culture, may also tural processes (Glenn, 1986). form standards associated to demographic factors, Considering that a culture is never monolithic, such as age, gender, religion, social class, and so that is, that it includes different subcultures, cer- on. Teenagers, for instance, demonstrate a greeting tain behaviors that are accepted and expected in ritual that is quite different from that which is dem- some subgroups may be disapproved of in other onstrated by adults and, when these two strata in- subcultures and vice-versa. Hence the importance teract, generally, the members of each group strive of a repertoire of alternative social behaviors (vari- to “mimic” each other’s gestures, movements and ability), based on the selection of less ceremonial postures, in order to produce consequences deter- and more technological practices that can gradually mined by the contingencies in force. be disseminated and adopted by new groups. That While considering the different moments and is the reason why programs like SST, which aim to cultural settings, one can observe that the current promote this repertoire, are so important. contingencies indicate desirable standards (more In many cases, the change in cultural practices likely to produce reinforcing consequences), as well (particularly those that are ceremonial) could be as those deemed irrelevant (which do not produce facilitated by increasing the visibility of the func- consequences) and reproachable (aversive conse- tional and ethical value of alternative practices in a quences) for different moments and settings. This is similar context. The instrumental and ethical/mor- the basis of the acknowledged situational and cul- al dimensions, integrated in the social competence tural nature of social skills (Del Prette & Del Prette, criteria, point towards new standards of interper- 1999, 2001b). sonal relations (Del Prette & Del Prette, 2001a). The establishment and management of these Once they become functional, improving individu- standards are generally controlled by different so- als’ quality of life and favoring the survival of the cial agencies (such as education, family, religion species, relationship standards based on these cri- and even psychotherapy), through specific cultural practices (e.g. school and education amidst a family), as well as written (laws and literature) 3 This interdependence and other aspects of the social structure have been examined from the perspective of intertwined and non-written codes (transmitted orally or in- contingencies and meta-contingencies, which are character- ferred through the observation of the contingen- istic of cultural practices (Glenn, 2004; Todorov, Martone & cies in force). In the context of the transmission of Moreira, 2005; Andery, Micheletto & Sério, 2005).

Revista Perspectivas 2010 vol. 01 n ° 02 pp. 004-015 10 www.revistaperspectivas.com.br Zilda A. P. Del Prette e Almir Del Prette 004 - 015 teria could be established as new cultural practices as in terms of the procedures that are used, SST in family relations, in education, collective labor, programs figure among the social projects focused leisure, etc. It is not a matter of naively simplifying on individual protection and health, like “life the complexity of changes in society, nor is this an skills” for instance, advocated by the World Health attempt to establish SST as a panacea, but to recog- Organization (WHO, 1997; Murta, 2005). One can nize that the resources in this field can contribute affirm, therefore, that SST programs present a po- in this change. Social skills programs at school, for tential, which has not been completely explored yet, example, have proven to be an effective strategy to of contribution to the attainment of broader social reduce aggressiveness and conflict and to estab- proposals, in the fields of education, health and lish more harmonious relationships (Goldstein, community life. Sprafkin, Gershaw & Klein, 1980). These programs have been applied to social-political projects, based A brief conclusion on social and emotional skills, such as the CASEL The relations between behavior analysis and the - Collaboration for the Advancement of Social and theoretical and practical field of social skills have Emotional Learning -, an organization founded frequently been referred to in terms of the use of in 1994 at the Department of Psychology of the techniques and procedures derived from the oper- University of Illinois, in the United States.4 ant principles in SST or, inversely, the use of the In a similar sense, Carrara, Silva and Verdu SST “technique” in behavioral therapy. It is under- (2006, 2009) highlight inclusive education and so- stood, however, that this comprehension is limited cial skills among practices compatible with an ethi- and limiting. The scope of the interface between cal perspective applied to social behavior and that these two areas includes other possibilities, espe- have been confirmed as a cultural benefit (p. 346), cially those related to the conceptual and philo- regarding Skinner’s view. This referral is also coher- sophical framework of behavior analysis, which has ent with Abib’s proposal (2007) concerning cultural been insufficiently explored in the comprehension sensibility education, directed at the establishment and production of knowledge concerning the phe- of social peace and the emotional development of nomenon known as social skills. In this essay, an human beings. This author proposes the develop- attempt was made to present some of these contri- ment of practices that favor the the survival of in- butions. However it does not mean that the analysis dividuals and, simultaneously the survival of social has been exhausted or that they are restricted to the groups and cultures on planet earth. Abib’s propo- ones selected here. sition would aim to “on the one hand, counter the This essay highlighted the contributions of BA ethics of selfishness and its perverted individualis- for analyzing and understanding social skills and tic ways and, on the other, to construct an ethics of social competence concepts. It was particularly em- justice” (p. 72), creating harmony between the com- phasized the BA functional and contextualized per- mitment to survival and the commitment to “doing spective, as a resource to identify and to describe good”, that is, directed toward “what is is good for the relations between the social behaviors and the the individual, for the other and for the different contingencies that control such behaviors and the cultures” (p. 73). social interactions in general. The variation and se- Interpersonal relationships, based on the ethi- lection mechanisms - phylogenetic, ontogenetic, and cal/moral dimension of social competence criteria, cultural - were applied to the comprehension of the may generate reinforcing consequences for indi- evolution and learning of social skills amidst human vidual behaviors and may also generate medium relations, highlighting the potential of educational and long-term reinforcing cultural consequences, or therapeutic SST programs in the establishment of affecting the social group in terms of quality of life, new cultural practices, in settings that involve fam- social peace and survival of the group. In terms of ily, work, teaching and learning, leisure, etc. their objectives and cultural implications, as well It is understood that the demands for new interpersonal relations, which aim to overcome the 4 Visit http://www.casel.org. disastrous consequences of the conflicts that seem

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Received on: 09/05/2010 First editorial decision: 01/08/2010 Accepted on: 05/08/2010

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