THE THEORETICAL PROPOSAL OF IGNACIO MARTÍN-BARÓ
FOR A LATIN AMERICAN SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
María A. Banchs (1994)
Summary:
Martín-Baró's physical absence leaves a significant void among Latin American social psychologists. However, his work and thought
continue to guide many professionals towards a conscientizing and liberating Psychology.
The author identifies five fundamental principles in Martín-Baró's theory:
1. Assume a critical position in professional practice.
2. To take advantage of knowledge from various epistemological perspectives in Social Psychology.
3. Opt for a multidisciplinary approach.
4. To see the human being as a builder of reality.
5. Adopt the perspective of the oppressed majorities.
Although this is the first Inter-American Congress of Psychology without the presence of Martín-Baró, his lessons continue to
influence our practice, guiding us and pointing us to the north of our activity.
1. Criticism as an articulating element of professional praxis
In Ignacio Martín-Baró we find an excellent example of a constant critical reading of reality, knowledge, and professional practice.
In his texts "Action and Ideology" (1983) and "System, Group and Power" (1989), Martín-Baró presents different theories, critically
analyzes them, and suggests what to rescue from each one and how to resize them. This approach is applied to issues such as
socialization, perception, attitudes, cooperation, solidarity, violence, social aggression, power, and groups.
We follow Martín-Baró not only to learn to elaborate theories, but also to analyze, undo and remake knowledge, relating it to
reality. Although he made original theoretical contributions, his greatest strength lies in using existing knowledge to interpret our
reality and guide our action, always with the aim of achieving greater social justice and supporting the oppressed majorities.
Martín-Baró criticized conventional Social Psychology for being ahistorical and asocial, reducing social phenomena to individual
psychological processes and blaming individuals for problems that are systemic. His critique was not only conceptual, but a posture
of life and professional action. It invites us to a critical engagement, recognizing that the social sciences are not neutral and that
we always take sides with certain values.
His critical approach reflects the critical theory of the Frankfurt School, with an emphasis on self-reflexivity, historicity, and a moral
sense within an emancipatory project. Although Martín-Baró did not subscribe to a specific school, his epistemological stance fits
perfectly with this definition of critical theory, aimed at discovering contradictions in capitalist society and promoting a society
without exploitation.
2. The use of all kinds of knowledge produced by social psychology
In his adherence to the principles of critical theory, we could say that Martín-Baró is Frankfurtian. However, it would be wrong to
classify his intellectual production and professional praxis within this school. Martín-Baró escapes any strict theoretical
classification, since his work covers a wide range of perspectives, including behaviorist, psychoanalyst, cognitivist, symbolic
interactionist, and Marxist.
Martín-Baró criticizes the positivism and ideological neutrality of science, but he does not reject the knowledge produced from
these approaches. He uses quantitative methods, as in his studies of Salvadoran public opinion, while criticizing and resizing this
knowledge.
Two major schools seem to influence his theoretical outlook: Marxism and symbolic interactionism. From Marxism, he adopts
concepts such as alienation, class consciousness, social structure, and ideology. He defines de-ideologization as unmasking anti-
popular ideologies that justify oppressive systems. From symbolic interactionism, he takes the idea of studying everyday reality as
it is experienced by the majority and defines human action as the execution of a meaning within a system of meanings.
1
Made by MatyBuda
FOR A LATIN AMERICAN SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
María A. Banchs (1994)
Summary:
Martín-Baró's physical absence leaves a significant void among Latin American social psychologists. However, his work and thought
continue to guide many professionals towards a conscientizing and liberating Psychology.
The author identifies five fundamental principles in Martín-Baró's theory:
1. Assume a critical position in professional practice.
2. To take advantage of knowledge from various epistemological perspectives in Social Psychology.
3. Opt for a multidisciplinary approach.
4. To see the human being as a builder of reality.
5. Adopt the perspective of the oppressed majorities.
Although this is the first Inter-American Congress of Psychology without the presence of Martín-Baró, his lessons continue to
influence our practice, guiding us and pointing us to the north of our activity.
1. Criticism as an articulating element of professional praxis
In Ignacio Martín-Baró we find an excellent example of a constant critical reading of reality, knowledge, and professional practice.
In his texts "Action and Ideology" (1983) and "System, Group and Power" (1989), Martín-Baró presents different theories, critically
analyzes them, and suggests what to rescue from each one and how to resize them. This approach is applied to issues such as
socialization, perception, attitudes, cooperation, solidarity, violence, social aggression, power, and groups.
We follow Martín-Baró not only to learn to elaborate theories, but also to analyze, undo and remake knowledge, relating it to
reality. Although he made original theoretical contributions, his greatest strength lies in using existing knowledge to interpret our
reality and guide our action, always with the aim of achieving greater social justice and supporting the oppressed majorities.
Martín-Baró criticized conventional Social Psychology for being ahistorical and asocial, reducing social phenomena to individual
psychological processes and blaming individuals for problems that are systemic. His critique was not only conceptual, but a posture
of life and professional action. It invites us to a critical engagement, recognizing that the social sciences are not neutral and that
we always take sides with certain values.
His critical approach reflects the critical theory of the Frankfurt School, with an emphasis on self-reflexivity, historicity, and a moral
sense within an emancipatory project. Although Martín-Baró did not subscribe to a specific school, his epistemological stance fits
perfectly with this definition of critical theory, aimed at discovering contradictions in capitalist society and promoting a society
without exploitation.
2. The use of all kinds of knowledge produced by social psychology
In his adherence to the principles of critical theory, we could say that Martín-Baró is Frankfurtian. However, it would be wrong to
classify his intellectual production and professional praxis within this school. Martín-Baró escapes any strict theoretical
classification, since his work covers a wide range of perspectives, including behaviorist, psychoanalyst, cognitivist, symbolic
interactionist, and Marxist.
Martín-Baró criticizes the positivism and ideological neutrality of science, but he does not reject the knowledge produced from
these approaches. He uses quantitative methods, as in his studies of Salvadoran public opinion, while criticizing and resizing this
knowledge.
Two major schools seem to influence his theoretical outlook: Marxism and symbolic interactionism. From Marxism, he adopts
concepts such as alienation, class consciousness, social structure, and ideology. He defines de-ideologization as unmasking anti-
popular ideologies that justify oppressive systems. From symbolic interactionism, he takes the idea of studying everyday reality as
it is experienced by the majority and defines human action as the execution of a meaning within a system of meanings.
1
Made by MatyBuda
