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The Search for the First Psychologist to Work in Brazil Reveals a Complex History, with Pioneers Like the Brazilian Manoel Bomfim and the Pole Waclaw Radecki, Who Shaped the Profession Even Before Its Regulation in 1962.
The question of who was the first psychologist to work in Brazil does not have a unique and simple answer. This is because psychology, as a regulated profession, only officially existed in the country starting in 1962. Before that, the study of the mind and behavior was a field explored by intellectuals from other areas, mainly doctors and educators, who were the true pioneers of Brazilian psychology.
According to the Federal Council of Psychology (CFP), the history of psychology in Brazil is marked by a gradual evolution, from the first ideas within medicine to its consolidation as a science and profession. In this context, two names stand out as the forerunners: the Brazilian Manoel Bomfim, a pioneer in education, and the Pole Waclaw Radecki, the first to organize the scientific practice of psychology in the country.
The Beginning of Everything: Psychology Before Becoming a Profession
At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, psychology was not yet an independent profession in Brazil. It was a knowledge applied in other areas, especially in education, to understand learning processes, and in medicine, to aid in the treatment of mental illnesses.
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It was during this period that doctors and educators began to develop the first studies and apply the first psychological tests, planting the seeds for what would become psychology as we know it today.
Manoel Bomfim: The Pioneering Brazilian Psychologist in Education
The doctor and educator from Sergipe Manoel Bomfim (1868-1932) is considered one of the first and most important figures in the history of Brazilian psychology. Although trained in medicine, his significant contribution was in the field of education.
In 1898, Bomfim assumed the chair of Pedagogy and Psychology at the Normal School of Rio de Janeiro, a milestone that represents the beginning of formal psychology education in the country. In 1906, he founded the Psychology Laboratory of the Pedagogium in Rio, focusing on educational psychology. His work “Noções de psychologia,” published in 1916, was one of the first textbooks on the subject in Brazil.
Waclaw Radecki: The Pole Who Brought Scientific Psychology to Brazil
If Manoel Bomfim was the pioneer in education, the Polish psychologist Waclaw Radecki (1887-1953) is widely recognized as the first to organize the practice of scientific psychology in Brazil. With a solid education from important European centers, he arrived in the country in 1923 at the invitation of Brazilian doctors.
In 1924, Radecki founded and directed the Psychology Laboratory of the Colony of Psychopaths in Engenho de Dentro, Rio de Janeiro. This is considered the first applied psychology laboratory with scientific rigor in the country. During his stay in Brazil, until 1933, he tirelessly fought for the autonomy of psychology as a science and profession, detached from medicine and philosophy.
The Regulation of the Profession: The Law of 1962
The pinnacle of all this historical development came on August 27, 1962. On that date, the then-president João Goulart signed the Law No. 4,119, which officially regulated the profession of psychologist in Brazil.
The law established the rules for training courses and defined the exclusive functions of psychologists, such as psychological diagnosis and professional guidance. This date is still celebrated as Psychology Day in Brazil.
Who Was the First Psychologist to Work in Brazil?
The answer to who was the first psychologist to work in Brazil depends on the criteria.
- Manoel Bomfim was the Brazilian pioneer in systematizing the teaching of psychology, applying it to education since the late 19th century.
- Waclaw Radecki was the first psychologist with specific training in the field to organize the practice of psychology as a science in the country, starting in 1923.
Both were fundamental figures who, each in their own way, laid the foundations for the profession that exists today. Today, some professionals offer services as online psychologists at social value, a practice aimed at enabling therapy for those facing financial difficulties.
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