Cognitive techniques and language: A return to behavioral origins.

BACKGROUND: the main purpose of this study is to offer an alternative explanatory account of the functioning of cognitive techniques that is based on the principles of associative learning and highlights their verbal nature. The traditional accounts are questioned and analyzed in the light of the situation of psychology in the 1970s. METHOD: conceptual analysis is employed to revise the concepts of language, cognition and behavior. Several operant- and Pavlovian-based approaches to these phenomena are presented, while particular emphasis is given to Mowrer’s (1954) approach and Ryle (1949) and Wittgenstein’s (1953) philosophical contributions to the field. CONCLUSIONS: several logical problems are found in regard to the theoretical foundations of cognitive techniques. A combination of both operant and Pavlovian paradigms based on the above-mentioned approaches is offered as an alternative explanatory account of cognitive techniques. This new approach could overcome the conceptual fragilities of the cognitive standpoint and its dependence upon constructs of dubious logical and scientific validity.

Análisis de la conducta verbal del cliente durante el proceso terapéutico / Analysis of the client's verbal behavior during the therapeutic process

En el presente trabajo llevamos a cabo un análisis del cliente centrándonos en la actividad principal que se desempeña en sesión: hablar. Utilizando metodología observacional realizamos un estudio topográfico de la conducta verbal de los clientes a través del desarrollo de un instrumento de medida generado por el grupo de investigación: el Sistema de Categorización de la Conducta Verbal del Cliente (SISC- CVC). Se observaron y registraron 92 sesiones terapéuticas procedentes de 19 casos tratados por 9 terapeutas distintos. Los resultados muestran que, en líneas generales, el cliente principalmente ofrece información descriptiva relevante para la terapia, muestra su aceptación y entendimiento ante verbalizaciones del terapeuta cuya finalidad sea informar, motivar o instruir y expresa en mucha mayor medida contenidos relacionados con el cambio clínico frente a contenidos alejados de los objetivos perseguidos. Podemos concluir, además, que la conducta verbal de los clientes varía en función de la actividad terapéutica que se esté llevando a cabo y es independiente de la problemática tratada, las características personales del cliente o el estilo terapéutico del clínico (AU)

In this paper we conduct an analysis of the client behavior focusing on the main activity that is performed in session: talking. Using observational methodology we performed a topographical study of clients’ verbal behavior through the development of a measuring instrument by our research group: Categorization system of the interaction of client´s verbal behavior during the session (SISC- CVC). 92 clinical sessions from 19 cases treated by 9 therapists were observed and recorded. The results show that, in general, the client mainly provides descriptive information relevant to therapy, shows acceptance and understanding to the therapist’s verbalizations aiming to inform, motivate or instruct, and expresses more frequently contents related to clinical change compared to contents opposed to the objectives pursued. We can also conclude that the clients’ verbal behavior varies depending on the therapeutic activity that is taking place and is independent of the problems treated, the personal characteristics of the client or the clinician's therapeutic style (AU)