“Teoria? Nunca pensei o que que é isso” – Contribuições da Psicologia Histórico-Cultural para a compreensão da relação entre teoria e prática na atuação em Psicologia

Abstract

The dialectical relationship between theory and practice is constitutive of the development of Science and, thus, of Psychology. Therefore, the general objectives of this research was to comprehend the personal meaning to psychologists of theory in relation to practice and analyse how the relationship between theory and practice has progressed for psychologists. Considering these general objetives, the apprehension of knowledge regarding the scientific concept of theory is fundamental, as well as the nature of practice, the relationship between theory and practice, and towards what end the praxis in Psychology should be moved. The theoretical-methodological referential used to clarify these themes and guide the research was Historical-Cultural Theory and dialectical historical-materialism. The subjects of the research were two male and two female psychologists, with whom four semiestructural interviews were conducted, which covered relevant topics for the understanding of the relationship the subjects establish between theory and practice in their everyday work. The analysis of the interviews were organized in the following axes: 1) Initial and continued making, which discusses aspects of the initial and continued that are determing of the progessional practice and the relationship of the subjects with theory and practice, 2) Theoretical concepts: human beings, world and theory, covers the relationships between the concepts of human beings, world and theory which are foundating of the research subjects’ practices and 3) Social meaning and personal meaning of the relationship between theory and practice in Psychology, discusses the processes of formation of personal meaning of theory in relation to practice. It was concluded that those psychologists who are able to apprehend the social meaning of the dialectial relationship between theory and practuce, were able to surpass, each one according to specific motives and material conditions, the limits imposed on professional making in Psychology in capitalist society.