A pluridimensionalidade psicológica da morte

Abstract

Being a study of living organisms and organisations, psychology has paid little attention to the undercurrent reality of death. How can we speak scientifically about this reality? And to what extent? In the context of Karl Popper’s epistemological thinking the author underlines testability as the fundamental criterion of scientific knowledge. Nevertheless, one must take into account reflections leading to theoretical constructions and explaining hypothesis that cannot yet be submitted to experimental trial but present an important heuristic value to the progress of knowledge. Within this epistemological context and based upon the relational theory of moitivation three heuristic reflections about the influence of death on human behavior are suggested. The first two are concerned with interpersonnal and affective relationships and the third focuses on the relationships between cognitive and emotional processes evoked by death.