Geraldo Servo (1930-2001) and the Professionalization of Psychology in Brazil

Abstract

Researching biographies is very useful for understanding the historical constitution of Psychology. This paper constructs a biography of the Brazilian psychologist Geraldo Servo (1930-2001) as an example of the professionalization of Psychology during the last century. The documents analyzed were provided by Servo's family and collected at the Centro Salesiano de Documentação e Pesquisa, at the Centro de Documentação e Pesquisa em História da Psicologia and at the Sistema de Informações do Arquivo Nacional. The documental analysis systematizes Geraldo Servo's biographical trajectory into three periods: his first contacts with psychological disciplines in Brazilian and Italian Catholic institutes (1947-1958); psychological practices at the Institute of Psychology and Pedagogy, professional registration, and training periods in European countries (1958-1969); and. political participation in professional entities and his work as a freelance professional (1969-1999). This research concludes that Geraldo Servo's biography exemplifies: (a) the action of the Catholic Church to circulate Psychology projects applied to educational themes; (b) the process of interiorization of Brazilian Psychology through university teaching and the creation of specialized institutes; and (c) the role of academic-professional entities for regulated professional practice. This study aims to contribute to the historiography of Psychology in Brazil.