A Simulation-Oriented Formalization for a Psychological Theory

摘要

In this paper we present a formal specification of a traditionally informal domain of knowledge: the Behavior Analysis psychological theory. Our main objective is to highlight some motivations, issues, constructions and insights that, we believe, are particular to the task of formalizing a preexisting informal theory. In order to achieve this, we give a short introduction to Behavior Analysis and then explore in detail some fragments of the full specification, which is written using the Z formal method. With such a specification, we argue, one is in better position to implement a software system that relates to an actual psychological theory. Such relation could be useful, for instance, in the implementation of multi-agent simulators.